


Grayscale

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Series: A Thousand Lives [16]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Accidental Knotting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Animal Attack, Attempted Murder, Character Death, Cock Piercing, Dom/sub Undertones, Electricity, Erotic Electrostimulation, Eventual Levi/Eren Yeager, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Humor, Genital Piercing, Happy Ending, Healthy Relationships, Heroes to Villains, Human Experimentation, Hurt/Comfort, I swear, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Mind Manipulation, Mutant Powers, Photographer Eren Yeager, Power Bottom Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Protective Eren Yeager, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Safe Sane and Consensual, Scars, Secret Identity, Shapeshifting, Slow Build, Top Eren Yeager, Villains to Heroes, Violence, Wings, but not really, featuring terrible hero and villain names, levi has wings, this really is a happy ending, various side pairings - Freeform, you'll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-02-22 23:53:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 56,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13177911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: gray·scalea range of gray shades from white to black, as used in a monochrome display or printoutEren is just an aspiring photography student when he's mauled by a rather vicious wolf. Awakening only to find himself miraculously healed instead of dead, things only start to get weirder for Eren. In his journey to find answers there's one thing he knows for certain: superpowers or not, he doesn't want to be a hero.





	1. The Radioactive Wolf(?)

**Author's Note:**

> long time no write rip

Eren had grown up hearing stories about the villains that plagued the world. Some made their city famous with their reputation—a fact that his teachers grudgingly touched upon during high school. It was hard to keep track of the lower rank ones; they moved in and out of jail the way someone else might ride and exit a train. The more powerful—and therefore more dangerous—on the other hand, were easy to follow. Between the news and the fan clubs, their work and faces were plastered everywhere in a cocktail of praise and fear.

Eren, who resided in a fairly peaceful city, had paid attention to them the way one who lived in the city pondered the chances of being mugged on the subway—it was a fleeting thought and was forgotten in moments. He’d never expected to need to be knowledgeable in criminal activity, considering the fact that he was studying photography instead of law. Though, admittedly, he wasn’t so sure about that now.

It’d only been two months ago that Eren had accidentally fallen through the floor of an abandoned house in his search for the perfect photography spot. In an effort to escape the basement he’d landed in, he had crawled out of a broken window and into an area of the city previously closed off from his access. He wasn’t sure how long he’d stumbled around, trying to find a way to get back into the heart of the city, before he’d been found by one of the creatures that had lurked among the deserted rubble. The effects of being mauled by said creature and left for dead, only to awake miraculously healed, tended to skew one’s future plans a bit. He’d found out several days later, upon watching in shock as a paper cut healed in seconds, that he’d gained much more than a new set of nightmares. Powers had made themselves known, and they made it hard for Eren to not consider the fact that he might have to rethink his entire future.

It was when the fur started to climb up his arms and his eyes sharpened to slits that Eren knew he had to get help. The hair he could, perhaps, let go, but seeing in the dark wasn’t normal; not as clearly as he did. It was a blessing in disguise, perhaps, but Eren couldn’t help but see it as something off. Different. Freakish.

There were a lot of adjectives others would use for people like him.

The world was becoming more welcoming to people that were other, but it wasn’t quite that progressive yet. Children were still thrown onto the streets at the first surface of abilities that were not normal. Laws were still formed to restrain who could and couldn’t reside in cities. Still, gene mutations weren’t that common, which didn’t help the case for equal rights at all. Most hid away, where the public couldn’t access them. Some became protectors, watching over cities and gaining hesitant acceptance; they were called heroes. Others turned against the ones that had shamed and prosecuted them; these were called villains.

Eren wondered what his parents would have said, were they still alive.

The first class was where he wanted to remain. Hidden and kept a secret from society. He wanted to be normal. To live in peace and continue on to dream of being a famous photographer. His newfound abilities, on the other hand, were not so easily contained.

It had been when he’d accidentally shattered every single piece of glass in his cabinets by merely getting frustrated with his science homework, that Eren had realized he needed help. Coming to as an animal the following night had been just the incentive he needed to take a break from school and head to the headquarters of Titan, an organization that was behind most of the famous heroes in the world. Eren hadn’t gone wanting to be a hero, though. He just wanted some answers.

In retrospect, he probably should have called. Or at least done his research on Fuego, the city that Titan’s main headquarters was built in. He’d been panicked over his new discoveries, too worried to properly think things through. As it was, of all the scenarios he had imagined, stepping off of the end of an eleven-hour train ride only to find the city in chaos was at the bottom of Eren’s list.

Screams filled the air as he squinted against the brightness of the sun. He’d been walking down the street, having been unsuccessful in his attempts to flag down a cab, when there had been the loud sound of an explosion.

The following pandemonium had seemed to happen in seconds.

One minute everyone was proceeding as normal, the next they were fleeing in whatever direction they saw as safe.

In the distance, there was a plume of smoke. Eren watched it seep into the sky, frozen at the sight. He had never seen anything like it before. His city was a relatively peaceful one, small and with only a few spontaneous bouts of supernatural battle. It was nothing like Fuego.

Eren’s fingers twitched towards the camera in his book bag. The unusual was what drew him in, and the darkness creeping through the city certainly fit the bill. It took a few minutes of taking pictures of the growing smoke and fleeing figures to realize that, in his distraction, he had been left alone. The screams of civilians were far in the distance, and a glance down the street revealed no one else.

It was chilling to see both streets and sidewalks so exceedingly empty. What cars that had been backed up in traffic sat silent and still, doors still hanging open from where their passengers had fled. Trash was strewn about the street, cast aside in all the panic. A glance into a restaurant window revealed tables of half eaten food, some of which that was spilled across the floor. Eren figured that the behavior of the locals was probably a good indication of what he should’ve been doing.

His friends had always told him his photography would get him killed one day. He was too reckless, always getting absorbed when behind a lens. Eren couldn’t deny that this was a fine example of such a case.

A piercing noise shot through the air, loud enough to cause him pain. It was over before Eren had time to cover his ears, and he was left reeling. Increased hearing wasn’t as fun as he had expected.

His ears were still ringing when a woman blazed past, cackling all the way. Eren blinked dumbly at the sight, mouth open. There was something strange coating her hands in bursts of deep violet, as well as her legs. It licked at her otherwise black clothes, twisting fiercely with the wind that combed brown hair back from her face. She looked fairly manic, with that same violet substance leaking from her eyes and a wide grin stretching her cheeks.

So absorbed in solidifying the image, Eren didn’t notice the reason for his previous pain. A tall electronic sign wavered above the street Eren lingered on, struggling against gravity. The loud snap of cables breaking finally drew his attention, but by then it was too late to jump clear. Still, it was enough to save him from a painful death.

The metal that slammed into one of his legs was hot with traces of magic. It burned Eren’s hands when he tried to shove it off, leaving them an angry red. It was a painful series of tugs and twists that finally pulled his leg free, but the action was not without consequences. He could tell that something was broken, and accelerated healing or not, Eren wasn’t sure that his body could mend broken bones without proper medical attention.

He tried to struggle to his feet, stifling noises of pain into a shoulder. When he finally managed to get himself upright, Eren tried to take a step only to fall once more. His leg wouldn’t take the weight, and he had no crutch or human help. Eren shook with the pain of his defeat, choking on a few harsh sobs. His jeans were ripped where the metal had caught on fabric, and his shoe had been lost during the tug of war. It sat snug under the piece of metal that had almost killed Eren—probably melting, if the stench in the air was any indication. There was blood wetting some of the tears. Whatever wounds there were, Eren could feel his skin already knitting back together. It was a feeling that he still had not grown used to since the skill had first revealed itself back in his apartment two months ago. It worried him.

Would his bone heal the wrong way? He’d have to go to the hospital to have it rebroken if that was the case; it was a thought that made Eren’s face pale even further. The last thing he wanted was to end up in a hospital. There were far too many bad memories involved in that.

Still, he needed to at least get his leg set. Another struggle, this time up onto his elbows, had Eren panting harshly. He could ignore the pain somewhat if he didn’t move, but being still was something he couldn’t do. Not when his leg was already healing itself. Eren was intensely relieved that his book bag had survived the fall. His camera was a bit worse for wear, but he could buy a new one if he had to. What he really needed was his phone.

Eren rummaged through the clothes he’d brought, cursing when the piece of technology evaded him. “Come on,” he muttered, beginning to pull out garments to place them in his lap. “I know you’re in here.”

He was mid-cheer, phone _finally_ in hand, when he noticed it. The smoke he had watched grow in the sky was creeping around the corner he faced. The sight of it seized him with panic. Eren couldn’t run, could barely crawl—if he was enveloped in smoke, he would die.

Trying to back up reminded Eren of what he had only just escaped. The fallen sign blocked the entire street, still sparking in some places. Even if he was, somehow, capable of crawling fast enough to evade the smoke, there was nowhere to go. All he could do was sit and watch it consume the street, phone forgotten in his fear.

It found him fairly quickly. Eren had no idea what could be the cause of it all, but he had just enough time to hope that he’d die of smoke inhalation rather than burning to death before it welcomed him into its embrace. Eren did his best not to breathe, nose covered by one of his shirts. That is, until he realized that for being surrounded by smoke, his lungs were awfully functional.

Slowly, he dropped his hand. Sure enough, a deep breath left him feeling as normal as ever. Which meant that whatever he was surrounded by, it certainly wasn’t smoke.

The echo of heels striking concrete had Eren twisting to squint in the direction of what he thought was the road. His eyes itched, watering slightly as he felt them change in an effort to pierce the curtain of black. A figure emerged before him—or rather, the smoke parted to let the figure through. Another witch, perhaps? It looked as if the sudden darkness belonged to him, judging by the fact that the smoke-that-wasn’t-smoke slunk away from his every step, and it occurred to Eren that he should be afraid.

Pale blue eyes met his own. The man stopped, zeroing in on Eren’s steaming leg. “You’re hurt,” he said.

Eren blinked back at him, unsure of what exactly he was expected to say to that. “Sorry,” he offered.

The man let out a soft scoff. He seemed unfazed when Eren froze under his approach, closing the distance between them until there was nothing but a few inches left. The smoke closed in behind the man, erasing the gap it’d made. He folded to his knees, cool hands feeling gently along the burns on Eren’s leg. Distantly, Eren wondered how the man managed to move so well in the leather that encased his body.

Eren found himself staring at the edge of a sharp jawline, unsure of what the etiquette was when the person you assumed to be a villain stopped to look over your wounds. He shook his head when his eyes watered, blinking fast. Maybe he'd hit his head in all of the confusion, because the way the other man's skin was rippling like a mirage wasn't normal.

The relief of magic hitting his wounds was startling, and Eren jumped under the sensation. What felt like cool water ran over his burns, easing the pain only to leave healed skin in its wake. The mending of bones was not as easy, but it was over in minutes, the pain soothed by this strange man’s influence.

“You’re healed,” the man stated, standing once more. Something rustled behind his back, and it took Eren a second too long to realize that what he had thought was a long coat, was actually a pair of wings. “Now stay out of my way.”

Eren didn’t get a chance to respond. The smoke surrounding them swallowed the man as he stalked off, leaving Eren dumbfounded in his wake. “Thank you,” he finally whispered, clutching his bag to his chest.

He stood hesitantly, wary of any lingering pain. His leg tingled under the weight, the sensation akin to when one’s leg fell asleep, but otherwise seemed fine. Eren took the chance to pull on his spare set of shoes before venturing further into the darkness around him. The smoke parted with each shaky step, leading him in the opposite direction, and to what Eren would later realize was safety.

The impromptu walk took Eren in the opposite direction of whatever criminal activity was taking place behind him. It added an hour to his travel time but, in the face of worse injuries, he guessed that it was for the best. A bit shaken from his encounter, Eren decided to take a taxi instead of trying to walk, flicking through the pictures on his camera as they went. There was a backup of traffic—due to the winged man, he assumed—so he had plenty of time to agonize over the pictures on his memory card.

The witch had been a struggle, but Eren found a few shots that he was actually happy with. Still, he wished that he could have gotten a photo of the man that had helped him as well. Considering the fact that the plume of smoke that had initially caused all the chaos belonged to him, Eren assumed that he was a villain and yet, he’d taken the time to heal a civilian. Eren wanted to know why. Was that normal?

“We’re here,” his driver said gruffly, pulling up to the entrance of Titan’s headquarters. Eren tossed him a wad of cash before exiting with a word of thanks.

The building was expansive and very white, with large glass windows that Eren realized upon closer inspection were only viewable from the inside. The climb to the front doors involved two sets of stairs that put his newly healed leg to the test. Thankfully, it was working just fine. Each of the two glass doors that faced him had a distinctive symbol on the front, an organic looking heart with a blade through the side and the word “Titan” in bold block letters.

Eren’s reflection stared back at him through thick glass, uncertain as ever. But where else could he find someone who had experience in the kind of help he needed?

The door was heavy when he pulled it open, and Eren wondered if it was bullet proof. He assumed the headquarters of those that protected the city from villains would be a pretty big target. There had to be plenty of protections in place throughout the property, both magical and otherwise.

A man eyed him from across the room. A headset was strapped over his ears and a computer sat on the desk in front of him. “Can I help you?”

Eren hurried over, eyes flitting about the rather normal looking lobby nervously. It was empty at the moment, padded chairs stuck in solitude beneath bright lights. “I’m looking for Erwin Smith,” he said. “I need to see him about a personal problem.”

An eyebrow rose. “Do you have an appointment?”

This was where Eren realized his spur-of-the-moment decision to travel halfway across the world was probably a bit on the insane side. “No,” he admitted. His hope began to plummet as the man’s eyebrows continued to rise. “But I really think he’ll want to see me. Or someone here, anyways. It’s really impor—”

“If you don’t have an appointment, I really can’t help you,” the man started to say, hand reaching up to his headset as if to call someone.

“Wait!” Eren slammed a hand down on the desk, desperate for answers. The hardwood cracked under the weight, and the two of them stared down at his sparking hand with wide eyes. Slowly, Eren withdrew it. “See?” He said shakily. “Something is happening to me and I need help. Please let me see someone, I don’t care who it is just— _please_.”

The man sighed, gesturing to one of the fancy grey couches to his right. “Please sit. I’ll see what I can do.”

* * *

By the time someone came for Eren, he had nearly drifted off several times already, though he thought he had a good enough excuse. A glance out of one of the windows told him that it was late. The sky was already dark with the impending night, and Eren would be lucky to find a hotel that wouldn't make him cringe at the sight of the price tag. He could afford it, of course, thanks to the money his parents had left behind in their death. Still, Eren hated extravagance.

He’d been waiting so long that when his name was finally called, he almost thought he’d been hallucinating.

“Eren Jaeger,” the voice came again, causing his head to snap up. His eyes widened at the sight of a man whose picture he had seen time and time again on Titan’s website. Broad shoulders, piercing eyes made of ice, and neat blonde hair.

Eren scrambled up, off the couch, adjusting his clothes as quickly as possible. “Erwin Smith,” he said, taking the man’s outstretched hand and shaking it nervously. “Nice to meet you.”

“The feeling is mutual. Shall we?” Erwin gestured to the door he’d come through, letting Eren step into a long hallway. “I've been informed of some of the situation. I’d like you to start from the beginning, if you don’t mind. The more you can tell me, the more we can help you.”

Eren took a deep breath, touching a hand to the scars on his side. He remembered the pain of changing from man to wolf, and the fear of what he had become. No one had had advice for people like him. There was no online help for someone who had been mauled to death only to miraculously survive. It wasn’t exactly common.

Eren began to explain, voicing the nightmare that he had had yet to tell to any other individual. Who, in his normal, everyday college life, would actually believe him? It wasn’t as if powers like his were normal. They were for the extraordinary, the people that wanted to do something great despite what others might say. Eren wanted nothing to do with that lifestyle, all he wanted was answers and maybe, a way to get rid of the powers he had never asked for in the first place.

He remembered his task. All he’d been trying to find was an interesting spot for a future photoshoot. The submission deadline for an art gallery had been coming up, and he’d wanted to get some fresh pictures to submit. Of course, the unusual wasn’t found in the normal parts of Lastrif, his home city. So, Eren had ventured into alleyways and down old docks, had climbed fire escapes and examined forgotten parks. He’d ended up in an abandoned house in his venture, only to fall through the floor seconds after deciding that he’d finally found his place.

Eren wasn’t sure how he’d escaped the basement. He’d climbed out of a window, but the details were fuzzy. The likelihood of having had a concussion was fairly high. He’d been lucky he hadn’t broken his neck.

In his dazed stumbling, he had been unsure of where he was. The window Eren had come out of was at the back of the house, as opposed to the front that he had originally come in from. What he’d found on the other side had been sprawling piles of rubble and trash—as well as the cause of all of his problems.

“I met a” — _beast, monster, nightmare_ — “wolf.” Eren told Erwin, eyes closing briefly. “It wasn’t natural. It had glowing red eyes and the drool that hit the ground sizzled. The thing ripped me apart and left me behind; I thought I was going to die, but when I woke up my wounds were healed. After that, strange things kept happening to me. My eyes started glowing in the dark, hair grew on my arms, and whenever I touched something metal, my hands sparked. Right before I came here, I ended up shifting fully into a wolf.”

Erwin looked over at him in interest. “A wolf?” He repeated. “How large?”

Eren grimaced. “I had to crouch in my apartment and my shoulders still hit the ceiling.”

He remembered the way his body had screamed after that first, initial change. The shifting of bones and muscle had _hurt_ , leaving Eren panting in the wake of it all. It’d taken him a long time to calm down enough to think rationally. In the end, it wasn’t his own will that had helped him change back. He’d passed out after working himself up into an anxiety ridden mess, and when he had awoken he had been human once more.

“Interesting.”

They paused when they came to a large metal door. The rectangular scanner on the side blinked to life when it sensed motion. A trail of blue ran over Erwin’s face when he stepped forward. Eren was waved in first when the door popped open, eyes squinting against a wave of bright lights. His nose wrinkled against the smell of heavy chemicals. By the time his eyes had adjusted, the door had shut solidly behind the both of them, and what Eren had expected to be an office turned out to be a lab instead. “Eren,” Erwin said over his rising dread. “I think we can help you.”  

There was no real need for an explanation past that, it was pretty obvious what he was there for, considering their surroundings. What he could see of the room they were in, was huge. An array of equipment was scattered around stations that were sectioned off from one another in neat little squares. Each one had several groupings of desks and computers at the ready. They weren’t all occupied—in fact, most of them were empty. Eren assumed that was due to the late hour.

Machines joined in on the different sections. Some whirred gently, shaking and rolling whatever vials were fixed into their bodies. Others sat still and silent, awaiting instructions. The sharp smell of bleach, mixed with a cocktail of chemicals and who-know-what-else, was honestly pretty sickening. It had Eren’s empty stomach roiling. It didn’t help that his nerves were strung tight, causing his hands to shake at the glimpse of the walled off examination rooms in the back.

Under Erwin’s orders, Eren was thrown into a whirlwind of interviews and tests. Unfortunately for him, there was no end to the scientists on call in the expansive labyrinth of a lab. Eren was beyond exhausted by the time that he was finally ushered to an apartment that Erwin deemed safe. They’d taken countless blood samples and had examined everything they could without becoming invasive or having Eren demonstrate his newfound abilities. The mix of blood loss and exhaustion had him wavering on his feet, and he just barely made it to his new bed before he collapsed. Distantly, Eren thought that if this was what help from Titan was like, maybe he’d be better off finding someone who wouldn’t turn him into a pin cushion. Still, he was relieved that he would be getting answers soon.

In all the chaos, Eren didn’t think twice about the strange man who had healed him.


	2. The Outcast Brigade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls excuse my science I tried my best

"Your white blood cells show a remarkable resistance against foreign bodies, far more than the average human,” the bubbly scientist before him explained. Her name was Petra based on her nametag. Eren hadn’t been paying much attention during initial introductions. “You also show an increased platelet count. That would explain your accelerated healing and why you were able to survive the wounds from that wolf. What’s really interesting though is the foreign matter in your DNA—it’s completely different from any human or wolf in our database. What we really need is to find out where that wolf came from and how it was made.”

Eren grimaced at the thought. “I’d rather not come face to face with it again.”

She laughed, shooting him a smile. “Of course, I don’t blame you. Those were some nasty wounds if your scars are anything to go off of. In the meantime, Erwin wanted us to explore the limits and possibilities of your powers while we’re examining your DNA for clues. It’s not going to get easier until you know what you’re up against.”

“What happens if I’m dangerous?” Eren asked nervously. “Or if I can’t control myself?”

Petra placed a hand on his shoulder. “You won’t be.”

* * *

In the following weeks he was introduced to the wonders of enhanced training rooms meant to contain any accidental loss of power as much as possible. Eren didn’t want to hurt anyone—that was half the reason he’d sought help in the first place. They’d covered his body in various devices meant to read his magical output as well as his heart rate and breathing pattern. They wanted to know if there were consequences to his powers, a thought Eren hadn’t even considered in all the chaos.

They started out small. First the goal was to cause a spark, and then another and another until small zaps of electricity fanned out from his fingertips. It was hard to contain the energy while trying to carry out the same process with shifting. The electricity wanted to join with the rest of his power. In fact, holding it back took more effort than actually shifting did. When they finally gave him the go ahead to let them join, Eren wasn’t sure that the shock and excitement in their eyes was a good thing.

“I think it’s time you meet others that are like you,” Erwin told him after a particularly vigorous session. Eren tugged his shirt on, still panting lightly from exertion.

“Others?”

He gave a small smile. “Tomorrow I’ll move you to the group facility. They may help you understand yourself further.”

Eren sure hoped so.

He was glad to escape the watchful gazes of the many workers inside the building. They were doing their job and only trying to be helpful of course, but he couldn’t help but feel like a bug under a microscope. He just hoped they weren’t planning on bringing any knives into the equation.

It took Eren a second to realize that something was different on his walk back to his hotel. There was a feel of anticipation in the air. The windows he passed had people huddled around what TVs they could find, listening in on the news. Newspapers were scattered throughout the street, tossed away when their use had been served. Eren frowned down at one of the pages.

The winged villain stared back at him, if a bit dirty and torn. Still, there was no mistaking those wings. It took Eren a second to realize why he looked so familiar and even less for him to buy the first newspaper of his life. _The Storm Strikes Again!_ the headline proclaimed. The picture was definitely the man that had helped him all those weeks ago but this picture showed him with a mask and a high collar. Was that normal, Eren wondered. A look through his phone told him that yes, it was. So why show him his face? Cockiness… or something else altogether?

Eren frowned, leaning closer to the small text as he quickly read through the story. _After a period of absence, the famous villain The Storm has returned to the city of Trost. Continuing a line of attack along the world renowned hotel strip, authorities are unsure just what the villain is up to…_ Eren jumped ahead, examining the next picture. It was the witch he’d taken pictures of, he realized with a jolt. They were side by side with the winged villain which meant that they had to be working together. _Twelve injured, two in critical condition. Police encourage anyone with information to step forward…_

Eren closed the paper with a snap, moving to throw it out before thinking better of the action. He pocketed the pages of The Storm’s story, brow furrowed in thought. He didn’t understand why a villain would stop to help someone like him, let alone one that was apparently famous for terrorizing the city. One thing was for certain though and that was that Eren intended to find out the cause for the winged man’s sudden act of kindness.

* * *

“Jean Kirstein,” a man who looked to be about Eren’s age greeted. “Welcome to the outcast brigade.”

Eren offered a small smile, shaking his hand. “Thanks,” he said, taking in what he could see of the facility. He’d wondered just what they were doing when his driver had made for the outskirts of the city but now he understood. Training could get dangerous and keeping a bunch of people with abnormal powers all together could make it even more so. Keeping them away from the rest of normal society was only logical. Still, it stung a little to know that others viewed him as a threat.

“We’re not outcasts,” someone spoke up from Jean’s side. He stepped forward, flashing Eren a warm smile. “We’re just different.”

It took him a second to take the man’s hand when it was offered because it was in that moment that he realized that part of the left side of his body was scarred from the neck down. “Nice to meet you,” Eren said absently, looking away from the marks only to find Jean suddenly glaring at him.

“I’m Marco Bodt,” he explained, looking unfazed. If he saw Eren staring, he didn’t seem to care. “We’re the only ones here right now. We thought it best to introduce you to everythin’ slowly. We know how overwhelmin’ it can be.”   

Eren gave another small smile. “Introduce away.”

The complex was large but then again, that was no surprise. Everything that Eren had seen so far had been large. The training grounds were the biggest, with sprawling obstacle courses and machines inset into concrete to make things more challenging. Sparing rings were set deep into the ground in the effort to keep any unwanted power from escaping into places it wasn’t meant to go. It was all rather smart when Eren thought about it, but then again he wasn’t surprised. Titan wasn’t the best for nothing.

“We all have our own apartments,” Marco explained, pushing open the door to one of the many one story buildings scattered around the land. They entered a long hallway dotted by heavy wooden doors before pausing before the one labeled 106. The door was unlocked when he went to open it and the scanner beside the knob seemed to be shut off. “This is yours.”

Eren’s eyes widened in surprise as he stepped forward. The apartment was far larger than he’d expected, but that wasn’t what had him thrown. “This”—he touched a hand to a familiar desk—“is my stuff.”

Marco nodded, shooting him a smile. “Erwin wanted you to feel at home here. He had it all brought over. Trainin’ takes a long time and he knew you’d be missin’ your stuff.”

Eren didn’t know whether to be thankful or not. “How long have you been here?”

“Around five years,” Marco told him.

Jean, who had been mostly silent throughout the tour, shrugged. “Two.”

His heart sunk as any hope he’d had of returning back to his normal life quickly disappeared. “I’ll have to get the stuff from my hotel,” he said, taking in the room one more time. Even his pictures had been put in the exact same spot as before. “I have a few things back there still.”

“It’s been transported already,” Jean said. “Erwin figured you’d say yes.”

“We need to hook the scanner up to your hand,” Marco added, stepping back out into the hallway. “Then we can take you to the dinin’ hall. Tomorrow you can meet some of the others too.”

Eren followed hesitantly after them, still unsure. The door clicked shut, seeming to seal his fate. “Alright,” he said, holding his hand up when asked. He tried not to wince when the initial scan burned. “Thank you.”   

Marco gave him another one of those wide smiles. “You don’t have to thank us, Eren. You’re one of us now and we take care of our own.”

He gave his own first, hesitant smile. Maybe… he could handle a few extra years away from school.

The rest of the tour was fairly quick with a meal and the instructions of where to find them should he need help, as well as when to meet them the following morning. Eren absorbed as much of it as he could but his head was still reeling by the end of it all. It wasn’t until he’d taken a shower and gotten ready for bed that he realized the one thing missing from all his things was the newspaper clipping that he’d taped to his hotel room wall.

* * *

The others, as it turned out, were a… different sort of bunch. First came a pair of two very serious looking women that welcomed him warmly despite their outward appearances. Mikasa Ackermann and Annie Leonhart fought together Eren was told, as did Marco and Jean. Apparently Titan upheld a buddy system when it came to those that fought, which Eren found reasonable enough. Out of the two, Annie was the cooler—quite literally. While Mikasa wielded fire, Annie wielded ice. It left Eren wondering who could possibly compliment his own powers—not that he had any intention of becoming a hero. He just wanted to learn how to control himself so that he could return to normalcy.

Next came Reiner Braun and Bertholdt Hoover. Reiner was far more exuberant than any of the others and more than made up for his partner’s quiet demeanor. He was able to harden his skin into an impenetrable armor, one that Jean had apparently once broken his arm on. Eren tried not to laugh at the story. Bertholdt on the other hand had the power of size. He could grow or shrink to whatever dimensions he wanted and this time Eren couldn’t help but laugh at Reiner’s purposeful innuendoes.

The others were out on various duties, Marco explained. They all came and went depending on where they were needed so Eren would eventually meet the rest. However, with all the introductions and explanations it was only a matter of time until questions about Eren himself were brought up.

“So Eren,” Reiner said from the other side of the table. “what brought you here? I haven’t heard anything about what you can do.”

The question had every pair of eyes at the table turning to look at him and Eren tried not to grimace at the attention—or stare at the huge pile of food on Reiner’s plate. “I was mauled by a wolf that had been experimented on. I ended up gaining healing and shifting powers from it as well as some control over electricity.”  

“Wait,” Jean said, a slow growing smirk stealing across his face. “are you telling me that you’re a werewolf? That’s cliché as fuck.”

Eren’s eyes rolled. “Well what do you do other than dye your hair? Turn into a horse?”

He sputtered, hands lifting to his hair in defense. “I can control the weather, asshole.”

“Weather, huh? That’s got to make your name something like The Weatherman right?” Eren jumped slightly at Reiner’s loud laughter.

“Oh man, he got you on the first try! I told you it was too generic.”

“Erwin said it was good to go for simple so that people would remember you!” Jean complained. “I don’t want to hear it from someone called The Blockade.”

“What’s with all the ‘The’s,” Eren muttered under their bickering. “Doesn’t anyone just have a normal name?”

“Mikasa is Blaze,” Marco supplied helpfully. “and I’m Tempest.”

“Tempest?” he repeated.

“He makes it windy,” Reiner cut in, apparently done teasing Jean. “Like Hurricane Marco windy.”  

“So Weatherman and Tempest. Blaze and?”

“It’s _The_ ,” Jean insisted. “ _The_ Weatherman—“

“Glacier,” Annie said over him. “Blaze and Glacier.”

 Eren nodded. “Got it. And what’s Bertholdt’s name?”

The man in question gave a nervous smile. His timidness was at odds with the fact that he could probably step on Eren without even trying. “It’s Macro.”

“The Blockade and Macro,” he mused out loud. “Those aren’t so bad.”

“And what about you?” Jean huffed, crossing his arms. “What’s your name, Jaeger?”

Eren snorted, lifting a piece of pancake to his mouth. “I don’t have one. I’m not here to be a hero. I just want to be able to return to the normal world without accidentally hurting someone.”

They fell silent at that, apparently surprised by his honesty. “You really just want to go back to a boring regular life?” Jean finally said.

Reiner snorted. “I didn’t even know that was an option.”

“I don’t want to be a hero,” he clarified. “I just want to be a photographer.”

Marco touched a hand to his shoulder, a comforting presence among the skepticism. “That sounds wonderful, Eren. I hope everythin’ works out for you.”

Still, the seed of doubt had been planted.

* * *

“Reiner is the most durable of us all so I thought it would be a good idea for you to spar with him first since you’re still gettin’ the hang of things,” Marco explained.

Eren nodded, relieved despite his nerves. He didn’t want to hurt anyone on accident. “That sounds fair. How do you tell when someone wins?”

“You have the option of tappin’ out. Otherwise we just go with who pins who for 10 seconds.”

“Like wrestling,” Eren deduced.

Marco smiled. “Exactly like wrestlin’. Things can get messy otherwise. A lot of us have a pretty competitive streak. Especially Jean and Marco. Annie and Mikasa can get pretty bad too at times but usually they’re pretty restrained.”

He nodded slowly. “So anything goes?”

“Past serious injury and death, yeah.” Marco laughed, pushing open the door to the elevator. It would bring them down into the training area where they were going to meet the others. “But you won’t have to worry about that with Reiner. He’s the one that’ll have to be careful with you.”

The elevator slid open at the ground floor, letting them step out into the dirt floor of the arena. Tall concrete walls stretched high above them, tall enough that Eren had to crane his neck all the way back in order to catch a glimpse of the sky. “Fun,” he muttered, feeling distinctly like a caged animal.

“You ready, wolf boy?” Reiner called with a grin, already in the center of the arena.

Eren’s eyes rolled. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” He glanced over at the others. “Are you staying down here?”

“There’s a lounge halfway up,” Mikasa explained, pointing up to a break in the concrete. He was sure that those windows were bullet proof among other things. “We’ll be watchin’ to make sure nothin’ goes wrong. If it does we’ll step in to help.”

Eren nodded, unsure of whether that made him feel better or more nervous.

“Good luck,” Marco said, touching a hand to his shoulder.

“Try not to go rabid,” Jean added, giving a lazy wave.

Eren huffed. “So how do you want to do this?” He asked Reiner once they had all disappeared back into the elevator.

“We’ll go three rounds,” the blonde proposed. “you can use whatever powers you want to try to take me down. You won’t hurt me if you lose control so feel free to go all out.”

He nodded, able to agree with that. “Alright. When do we start?”

Reiner looked up in the direction of the lounge. He seemed to like what he saw because he flashed a grin that was all teeth. “Now.”

They weren’t joking when they said Reiner would be fine against him. It had been obvious from the first strike that Eren would only win this if he tapped into every last power that he knew of—and even then he wasn’t sure that he had the skill to do so. Reiner had already taken the first round, pinning him easily while Eren was still in human form.

“You’ll have to do better than that, Jaeger.” The blonde crossed muscled arms. “Don’t hold back on me.”

So Eren had let the shift take him. He fell onto four paws, still unused to the strange sensation of this new body. He shook his head, clearing it of the strange tingling sensation that seemed to come with the initial use of this power. He was bigger than Reiner now and was at least double his height, if not more. Still, that size meant nothing if he didn’t figure out how to use it properly.

With paws the size of dinner plates, Eren raced forward, trying to pin Reiner with his bulk alone. Still, the other man had abnormal strength on his side and he threw Eren off far more easily than he had hoped. 

“Damn,” Reiner grunted, staring Eren down across the arena. “You’re pretty scary looking.”

He snarled, flashing sharp teeth in answer. Eren hadn’t really seen his own reflection all that much in this form but he could believe it. Electricity crackled to life around his body, standing brown fur on end. It made him appear even bigger than before and the wolf barreled forward once more. This time he aimed for Reiner’s side instead of hitting him head on. He was hoping that armor or not, getting his jaws around the other man’s side could give him a good enough pin to keep him down.

Reiner thrashed as they rolled, aiming jabs back at Eren’s muzzle and chest. The wolf used large paws to pin his arms with some strain, readjusting his grip to close teeth around the back of Reiner’s neck instead. The skin was hard with the other male’s armor and it hurt Eren’s teeth when he thrashed. It had the wolf snarling, teeth crackling with a coating of electricity.

The sound of the buzzer went off and Eren backed away in victory, tail wagging lightly. He’d gotten one point in at least, though he doubted he would get another.

Sure enough, Reiner came at him even harder than before the next round, actively trying to pin him instead of the passive position he’d held in earlier rounds. Eren guessed he wasn’t about to let a newbie humiliate him and the wolf had no such luck against Reiner’s armor again. The sound of the third and final buzzer went off, ending their battle and declaring Reiner winner.

Eren panted as he was let up, shifting back into his human form. His clothes were gone and he blushed at the look Reiner gave him. “Ah, right,” he said sheepishly. “That tends to happen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you this fic would feature terrible villain and hero names
> 
> Thank you to everyone that has taken an interest in this story so far~


	3. Redacted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to everyone who has commented/left kudos so far! I appreciate it greatly and it's helping me keep the motivation to make the ending of this story the best it can be <3

“I’ve heard from the others that you’re settling well,” Erwin said, projection wavering slightly as he shifted. “That’s good news. I had hoped that you would feel at home among others like yourself.”

Eren gave a small smile. “They’re nice,” he admitted. “I’m glad I met them.”

Erwin smiled warmly in answer. “That’s even better news. I actually called to ask if you might be interested in helping us with something. I heard that you’re a photographer and we could use someone to gather intel. It would be paid work, of course and you could work on it alongside your training.”

He hesitated, biting his lip. He hadn't gotten a chance to use his camera since first coming to the city and a little extra money could never hurt. Still, Eren wasn't so sure that a job with Titan was what he wanted to be involved in. “I don’t know… What kind of photos do you need?”

“I’ll send the information over so you can look at it all. There’s no rush, really. Take your time and give me your answer when you’re ready.” Erwin gave another smile. “I’m glad you’re adjusting. It is our goal to make you feel at home.”

Eren nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

* * *

“What are you doin’?” Marco sighed, taking a seat beside Eren. Jean followed slowly behind him, eyes focused on the screen in his hand. A woman’s voice drifted over the table, catching Eren’s attention.

_"…Police were unable to follow the perpetrator due to the cloud of fog that descended over the city…”_

Marco frowned. “Another heist?”

“Yeah, they’re getting closer and closer to some of the main storages. The higher ups are getting nervous.”

“Who are you talking about?” Eren cut in, though he had a pretty good idea already.

Jean looked up for the first time to raise an eyebrow at him. “You ever heard of The Storm? He’s one of the big bads of the villain world. Rumor has it that he was once a hero but something went wrong and he converted. He’s been terrorizing the city for years.”

“But he’s never caused the damage others do.” Marco shook his head. “He’s a mystery. For a villain he’s incredibly controlled. There’s even stories about civilians caught in the crossfire turnin’ up in hospitals miraculously healed the next day. People say that he does it but it’s kept pretty hush hush. No one knows for sure.”

 _He healed me,_ Eren wanted to say. _His fog led me to safety._

“Have you ever met him?” He asked instead.

Jean snorted. “Couple times. Marco has tried to blow the fog away so that we could fight him properly but it just keeps coming. No one has been able to defeat him. Stop him? Yeah, sometimes. But actually bring him in? No way. It’d be a miracle if someone ever did. Erwin’s been trying to get together a team capable of doing it but that shit is hard stuff.”

“What’s his goal?”

“No one really knows,” Marco admitted. “He steals a lot of random stuff. The higher ups think it’s a distraction. It makes it hard to tell when he’ll strike next.”

“Smart,” Eren mumbled, staring down at his food.

“You seem awfully interested for someone who doesn’t want to be a hero,” Jean accused.

He held his hands up. “Excuse me for being curious about the crime going on in the city I’m living in. Especially someone who’s apparently a ‘big bad’.”

“Leave him alone, Jean.” Marco’s eyes rolled. “You’re the one that brought it up.”

The other male grumbled in response, returning back to his phone. Eren listened quietly to what parts of the report he could hear, careful to keep any further questions to himself. Something told him broadcasting an interest in The Storm would only get him into trouble. He ate quickly, mind racing with what little he'd learned. With the reminder of all that he didn't know about the villain the shifter was more motivated than ever to learn more.

"Eren, are you comin’ to trainin’ today?” Marco asked when he made to leave.

“Maybe later,” he said absentmindedly, mind far away. He tossed his plate, looking up at the pair. “I’ll see you guys at dinner. I have some paperwork Erwin wants me to look over.”

Jean made a face. “Good luck. You’ll probably need it.”

Eren waved him off, already walking away. “Yeah, thanks.”

* * *

Upon entering his apartment Eren had the unmistakable urge to make sure that he was alone. Unable to help it he checked every nook and cranny for any intruders before he finally pulled out his laptop. Erwin had given him access to the Titan database but Eren was wary about searching for what he wanted to search inside of it. He’d probably be flagged and he wasn’t sure he wanted the villain talk just yet—or ever for that matter.

The papers Erwin had mentioned had been faxed over and Eren leafed through their contents while his laptop powered on. It was an intel job just as Erwin had said but one with quite a few risks. They wanted him to spy on villains. To get information on crime operations and report back with photo evidence. There was a list of possible jobs at the end and Eren took the chance to search for each one in the database despite his want to do anything but. The itch to research The Storm was strong but he wanted to get this job nonsense over with first. He distracted himself by taking notes on each job, writing down the pros and cons and the information wanted. The list ended on a name that made Eren pause.

“What?” He muttered, staring at the message flashing back at him. He double checked his spelling but the page came up the same.

_Levi Ackermann, age 26. Deceased._

So why was his name on Erwin’s papers? What could Eren possibly do about a dead man?

He scrolled through paragraphs of black lines, page after page redacted and out of Eren’s clearance level. There wasn’t even a reliable picture, just a nameless shadow. A sentence at the very end had him pausing, double checking to make sure what he was seeing was accurate.

_Possible link to villain. Code name: The Storm._

Eren sat back and said with feeling, “what the fuck.”

* * *

Not one person on the internet had heard of Levi Ackermann. Not a single one. No Facebook page, no job listings, no obituary. It didn’t make any sense. The Storm on the other hand, was someone everybody couldn’t get enough of. Eren looked at countless pictures and descriptions but they told him nothing about a seemingly ghost of a man. It was like he’d never even existed. But that was impossible. There wouldn’t be a file on him if he didn’t exist. So why was the rest of his file redacted?

“Ah yes,” Erwin said, several hours later. Eren had forced himself to wait so as to not seem over eager, busying himself with more 'research'. He'd had the excuse of looking into The Storm without any suspicion thanks to the last case. “Levi Ackermann is a bit of a ghost story. I’m not sure why I put that name down it must have slipped my mind. The job is open if you want it but I’m afraid you won’t find all that much. The only person that can tell us more is The Storm and well, I’m sure you’ve heard about him. He’s not very talkative.”

Eren bit his lip, absorbing all of this. His mind was racing with all the stories he’d read, all the first person accounts, all the praises. Marco had been right, The Storm had a history of doing good alongside his misdeeds. “I’ll do it,” he blurted, cutting Erwin off mid-sentence. “I’ll take the job. I’ve always liked ghost stories.”

Erwin hesitated, looking concerned. “Are you sure, Eren? You can still think about it.”

“It’s made me curious,” he shook his head. “I’ll take it.”

“I’ll have you brought in for debriefing then. Until tomorrow, Eren.”

“Until tomorrow,” he repeated.

The screen went black.

* * *

“You’re sure about this?” Petra whispered hesitantly, eyes wary as she looked around the lab. “The Storm isn’t someone to mess with and this is your first assignment.”

“I’m sure,” Eren said, tired of people asking him that. “I want to do this.”

Petra didn’t get a chance to respond. The lab doors opened, revealing Erwin’s rather imposing form. Something unreadable flashed across her face and she fell silent. “Healthy?” He asked her.

Petra nodded, patting Eren’s knee. “All vital signs are normal. Training hasn’t seemed to affect him at all.”

“Good,” Erwin said, satisfied. “if you’d like to come with me, Eren, I’ll give you the details of your assignment.”

Eren gave Petra a wave, hopping down off the examination table he'd been sitting on. Her worried eyes followed him until the door closed and he was left feeling distinctly unsettled.

“I’ve made arrangements for you to have a place to stay in the city. It’ll make your job easier. You can return home on weekends or whenever you see fit. You should make sure to balance training as well as documenting.” He held the door to his office open for Eren, letting him inside the spacious room. He’d been inside a few times and it always made him nervous. There was something imposing about all the open space and fancy furniture. Even the tall bookcases littered with books and trinkets couldn't make it feel homey. He took a seat on one of the fluffy couches when instructed, anticipation making him tense.

Erwin sat across from him, a thick file in his hands. “This is the file we have on Levi and The Storm. Whichever lead you choose to pursue is up to you.”

Eren took the offered papers, flipping through the first. He was dismayed to find that what he had thought was one file was actually two, and that the first was made up of little more than three sparse papers. “This can’t be it,” he said, leafing through the second, larger one. “What about all the pages in the database? There has to be more.”

“You have to understand that this case is a sensitive one.” Erwin gave him an apologetic look. “This is all I can give you, I’m afraid. It was a struggle to get even this. Levi Ackermann is a ghost many want to stay buried.”

Eren frowned down at the papers. “Last know location 134th Street, building 24,” he read out loud. “by last known location you mean…?”

“His death,” Erwin said. “That’s the address where Levi was murdered.”

“Drowned and then burned to death.” Eren felt his stomach roil at the description of the body. “God, this is—“

“Inhumane,” Erwin finished for him. “I know. Eren, you must understand that getting involved in this case could mean danger for you, even death. Levi’s killer was never found and we very much suspect The Storm was involved. I won’t fault you for backing out.”

Eren’s fingers ran over a faded picture. It was hard to make out due to the size and focus but a man turned half way from the camera laughed with joy. In all the research he’d done not once had there been any mention of The Storm and the crime scene. Not even in conspiracy’s. It didn’t make any sense for him to be involved—it went against everything he was known for. “No,” he said, shoulders straightening. “I’ll do it. When do I start?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh shit


	4. Chasing the Ghost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to try to space out my update schedule but this is one of my favorite chapters and I figured that it could be my New Year's gift to you all
> 
> Enjoy ;)

“Lupus,” Eren muttered through his teeth, struggling to twist the key currently stuck in the door to his new apartment. “did it really have to be after the disease? People are going to think I’m contagious—“

“Talking to yourself is only going to scare away your neighbors,” a voice spoke up from behind him, causing Eren to whirl around in fright. He spilled some of the papers in his arms in the process—exactly what he didn’t want to do. Eren bent down to pick them up hurriedly. He did not want to lose any of the research he’d spent hours painstakingly writing out. A hand covered from wrist to knuckle in bandages began to help him.

“The Storm,” the man said, looking at one of the pictures Eren had printed out. “Don’t tell me you’re one of his groupies?”

Eren snatched it out of his hands hurriedly, cheeks flushed a bright red. “No!” He said louder than intended. “Just curious, that’s all. Aren’t you?”

The man tilted his head to the side, bangs falling across his face. It was then that he realized the bandages weren’t just on his hand. They were wrapped around half his face as well, covering an eye and part of his neck. “No, I’m not.” He stepped around Eren, twisting his key and opening the door effortlessly. “You have to push and twist. The lock sticks.”

“Thank you,” Eren fumbled, taken aback by the stranger. “I—who are you?”

A pale blue eye glanced back at him. “The name is Levi. I’m your landlord.”

* * *

“Calm down, Eren, it’s just a coincidence,” Eren reassured himself. He reached for his tape, sticking another picture up to his office wall. “A freaky coincidence but a coincidence all the same. How many Levi’s are there in the world anyways? Probably a ton. There’s no reason to freak out about someone showing up with it the same day you decide to look into a murder case. No reason at all.” He stepped back, looking over the mishmash of pictures, notes and files. “Right?”

Eren jumped when a piercing ring filled the apartment. It took him a second to realize it was his phone and a few more for him to calm the sparks falling from his fingers. He hurried over to his desk once he was sure he wouldn’t fry any electronics, catching it on the second to last ring. “Hello?”

“Eren, please explain to me why I came back from Japan only to hear that you’ve dropped out of school for the year because it’s not looking good from where I stand.”

“Armin,” he sighed, shoulders slumping. He’d hoped that he could fix this mess and return to school before anyone noticed. Clearly he’d been wrong. “I’m sorry I didn’t call I didn’t think I’d be gone for so long. Some… personal issues came up.”

“And you didn’t think to talk to me?” Armin let out his own sigh, voice softening. “You know that I’m always here for you, Eren, but I can’t help if you don’t let me in on what’s going on in your life.”

Eren laughed. “I don’t think you’d believe me even if I told you.”

“How cliché,” he said dryly. “Why don’t you try me?”

“I don’t know that that’s very safe with what I’m doing right now.”

Armin was silent for a few long moments. Enough for Eren to pull his phone away from his ear to double check that their connection was still there. “Eren… you’re not in a gang right?”

“What? No! Not by a long shot.” Eren shook his head, running a hand over his face. “I’m just in some shit right now and I don’t know when I’ll be home.”

“You’re starting to worry me even more. Just tell me, it can’t be anything worse than what I’m thinking. I thought you were dying.”

Eren softened. “I’m sorry, I should have called. I just didn’t want to drag you into this, it’s… complicated.”

"Make it simple then,” Armin prompted. “How did it start?”

“With photography, actually.” He smiled sheepishly despite the fact that his friend couldn’t see it. “I was looking for places to do a photoshoot in. I had a really cool idea too but I ended up falling through the rotten floor of an abandoned building.”

“You did what?!” There was rustling on the other end, as if Armin had jolted upright. “Oh my god, Eren, you could have gotten yourself killed.”

“Yeah well, by all accounts I should be dead.” Eren sighed, turning away from the wall of data. “I crawled out of a window in the basement and ended up in someone’s fucked up playground. A wolf found me and it was… it wasn’t natural, Arm. It was fucking terrifying. I tried to run but this thing covered four of my strides in one. It caught me and it tried to rip me apart. It succeeded too. I screamed and screamed and no one ever came. I thought—I thought I was dying.” Eren took a steadying breath, eyes wet with tears. “But then I woke up and it was all gone. There was so much blood around me—I think, even bits of what had been part of me. But all that was left were a bunch of scars. Things started changing after that. My eyes glowed in the dark, I started growing fur and electricity came off of my hands. I turned into a wolf one night, a huge one. I couldn’t stay after that, I needed answers. So I went to Titan and that’s where I am now.”

Armin was silent for a few long moments before a sharp exhale echoed down the line. “Jesus, Eren. That’s—it sounds horrible, I can’t even imagine. Are you okay now? It didn’t mess up your body did it?”

Eren wiped his eyes clear, trying to sniffle discreetly. “No the doctors say I’m okay. I’m still learning what I can do and how to control it though, that’s why I’m still here. I’m on a photography job right now too but it’s dangerous.”

“It’s for Titan isn’t it?” Armin sighed. “You just couldn’t stay out of trouble could you.”

“I can’t help it, Arm. Something happened the first day I got here and this job involves that. I need answers and this is the only way. I wish I could tell you but I don’t think it’s safe to say over the phone.”

“I understand,” he said reluctantly. “Just stay safe, okay? I need my best friend.”

Eren smiled, feeling a wave of loneliness wash over him. He missed his normal life. Missed his friends. Especially Armin. “I’ll do my best. I’ll try to come home soon.”

"Good, otherwise I’ll come to you. Oh and Eren?” Armin let out a soft huff of amusement, making it clear that what he was about to say would probably make Eren groan. “You stole Spiderman’s back story.”

Yeah, there it was.

* * *

“Is there a reason you’re standing in front of the building looking like a drug addict in need of a fix?”

Eren jumped, something that was becoming increasingly more common. He looked up from his phone to see Levi dressed in a long coat and looking unimpressed. “I’m waiting for a cab,” he explained. “I don’t know the city that well yet so I was just going over my maps.”

“You want advice?”

Eren bit his lip. “Sure,” he finally said, holding his phone out.

Levi snatched it from his hand, looking over the places he’d bookmarked. “Marlo’s is a good place, 24th Street is a little sketchy but if you go during the day you should be fine, Cauldron?” His eye flicked up to Eren in surprise. “I didn’t peg you as a body modification type of guy but to each their own. The sushi place you have marked is overpriced as hell, there’s a better one a block away from it.”

He was growing increasingly more nervous with every comment Levi made, knowing where that list would end. Sure enough, the man fell silent for a few long moments. Carefully, he handed his phone back over.

“134th Street doesn’t have a building 24 anymore. It burned up a couple years ago, there was a huge story on it. Apparently some moron left their stove on and it lit the whole place up. It was lucky that the fire department kept the whole street from burning down. People keep saying it’s cursed or some shit.” Levi shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. “No one has rebuilt on the land. Too many ghosts, I guess.”

“You believe in ghosts?” Eren said, feeling his palms begin to sweat.

Levi gave him a strange look. “You gotta believe in something. Helps give you a peace’a mind. Anyways, I should get going. Good luck if you go there, kid. I wouldn’t go at night though. They say that’s when the spirits are the most active.” He took one look at Eren’s pale face and tossed his head back in a loud laugh. “Jesus, Jaeger, I’m just fucking with you. You’re safe from the big scary ghosts. I’d still take some salt with you though.”

He set off down the street and Eren was left feeling both sufficiently scared and confused over whether what Levi had just done constituted as a blink when he only had one eye.

* * *

Eren had his driver stop at a supply shop on their way to Levi Ackermann’s place of murder. He exited with a large bag of salt much to the woman’s look of confusion. He shrugged, shoving it into his coat pocket. “For the ghosts,” he explained.

She didn’t look any more enlightened.

He was dropped off in front of building number 24, just as he’d asked. Despite the setting sun he could still see plenty. Levi hadn’t been lying when he said the street had almost gone up. There were still scorch marks on the sides of the neighboring buildings, bricks half melted in some spots and painted over. Eren stepped carefully onto the front steps, glad it was concrete and not wood. He didn’t need to hear creepy groaning sounds right from the start. It was bad enough he was scared of ghosts now.

The door hung off its hinges when he pushed on it, kept upright only by the hand he kept on the side. He placed it against the wall carefully, not needing the scare of it hitting the floor today. His caution only grew at the charred state of the interior. There wasn’t much left of the building and what was had been destroyed by smoke and ash. The bare bones of chairs sat against one wall, some broken and melted in on themselves. What had to have been a front desk was nothing more than a pile of black wood, a metal desk chair left in trails of silver.

Eren lifted his camera, taking pictures of the chilling sight. He was glad he hadn’t come at night. This was terrifying enough already. The wood creaked and groaned beneath his feet with each step, making him wary of falling through another building. Of course, this time he had accelerated healing on his side but he wasn’t exactly eager to put it to the test.

A stairway opened up when he walked past the desk and a touch to the railing had it crumbling to the floor with a sound that made Eren flinch. That wasn’t very comforting when it came to the state of the stairs but he climbed them all the same. Miraculously he made it to the second floor.

It was even worse than the first and it was where what remained stopped. The upper floors had been eaten away by flames and there were holes in the ceiling to prove it. Eren stepped carefully over the bones of furniture, broken glass breaking further beneath his feet. He wasn’t sure exactly what visiting this place would do but he was hoping that he’d find a clue somewhere, somehow. The file hadn’t told him where Levi had died but he assumed it had been in one of the floors that had been completely eaten away. Without being able to explore the room Eren didn’t know what he was looking for.

Going further proved too dangerous when the ceiling began to rain ash with every step. Eren frowned at the expanse of hallway that remained unreachable. The second stairway was on the other side but he wasn’t sure that he could make it. The last thing he wanted was for the entire building to land on top of him. A bird cried out above him, making him jump violently. It wasn’t a ghost but still, Eren tossed some salt around himself for good measure.

“So much for finding clues,” he sighed, heading back the way he’d came. He took a couple pictures of the surrounding buildings for good measure before rounding the back to look there. There was trash scattered around and it seemed a few of the homeless had once taken advantage of the wind buffer created by the skeleton of the building. He felt pity for the souls that had been caught in the path of the flames.

“Such a waste,” Eren murmured, staring up at a broken window on the second floor. “and for what? Why kill so many so violently? What did he do to cause so much rage?”

"You a tweaker?” A raspy voice said from the shadows. Really, too many voices were coming from unexpected places these days.

Eren spun around, unable to help the salt he tossed. He wasn’t even really sure what salt did to ghosts. He thought it was demons it repelled. “I’m not a tweaker,” he said, feeling his eyes burn as he peered into the darkness. He couldn’t tell if they were glowing. He hoped not. He’d been working on controlling that.

“You been talkin’ to yerself an awful lot.” A woman hobbled forward, collapsing on one of the dirty sleeping bags Eren had examined. Her hair was grey and matted, dirt more visible on her face than skin. “I don’t want no drugs ‘round here. Don’t need the cops comin’ after me.”

He wondered what the cops would want with an old woman.  “I was just investigating, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

“Investigatin’,” she said, feeling the word over in her mouth. “Investigatin’ what? It’s been years.”

“There’s someone that died here, I’m trying to find out why.” He sighed, looking back at the building. “I don’t really know where to start though.”

“The boy?”

Eren stared at her in surprise. “You know about him?”

She shrugged. “You’re not the first to come lookin’. Won’t be the last.”

“Did you know him?”

“No,” she adjusted her coat, squinting up at him. “but I heard a lot. People talk, ya know. You a cop?”

Eren snorted. “God, no. Just a photographer.”

She nodded, seemingly satisfied with that. “Real terrible what happened here. Keeps people away. Couple people died in the fire but the boy was the worst. Can’t remember his name but he had it bad. Died before the fire, or so they say. Body too burned up to ID. L somethin’. Leonard, Lester, Leroy? No that’s not it.”

“Levi,” Eren said softly. “His name was Levi.”

“If you say so,” she shrugged. “bunch’a people searched this place top to bottom. Couldn’t find a thing. There’s one gentleman that comes by a lot. Big blonde guy, bright blue eyes. Always looks sad.”

Confusion crept into Eren’s consciousness. “Big blonde guy?” He echoed. “Do you know his name?”

“Now that one I remember. Never gave his last name but first one was Erwin. Kind of a strange name, don’t ya think?”

Eren shook his head in disbelief. “Thank you,” he said numbly, digging a $50 out of his wallet. He added the bag of salt for good measure. “You’ve been really helpful.”

“Oh, well, sure.” She blinked down at the salt. “Hey, what’s this for—“

“Ghosts,” he said, already hurrying away.

What the hell was Erwin Smith doing around Levi Ackermann’s murder site?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild Levi appears! Meanwhile Eren is a giant dork  
> I love them both
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	5. There's no Such Thing as Coincidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a pretty short chapter but I just wasn't satisfied with the way it read with the next one so I'm going to be posting the 6th as well after this. On the brightside Grayscale was officially finished about 6 minutes after the end of 2017!! I burnt myself out pretty bad in a mad rush to finish this story due to the fear of inspiration fleeing me. Thankfully that didn't happen and all that's left is a bit of editing and polishing before I'm satisfied with it. <3
> 
> Note the tags as I've put most of what is essential in. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to talk to me either here or on tumblr and if any of it doesn't sound like your cup of tea then feel free to erase this story from your mind

“Took the advice, huh?”

This time Eren wasn’t startled. He was too absorbed in his thoughts to jump—or maybe he was building up a tolerance. That would be nice. “Yeah, I did.” Eren looked down at the large bag in his hands and then back up at Levi. He fished out a few containers wrapped in a separate bag, holding them out to the man. “I didn’t know what you liked but I got this as thanks. I hope at least one of them is enjoyable.”

Levi blinked in surprise, taking the bag. “You didn’t have to get my anything, Jaeger—“

“Eren,” he interrupted. “You saw my location history I think you can call me by my first name.”

“Eren, then,” Levi said, undeterred. “I didn’t do it to get a favor. You just looked like a lost puppy standing outside. I figured helping would get you to stop.”

Eren shrugged, dancing away from outstretched hands. “Well you got one anyways. The food is yours and I won’t take no for an answer.”

He stepped forward as if contemplating how likely he would be at succeeding in chasing Eren down should he run. Levi sighed. “Fine. Just don’t do it again. You don’t owe me anything.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He waved him off, heading up the stairs. “See you later, Mr. Landlord. Enjoy the food.”

The muttered “it’s Levi” was only audible due to Eren’s advanced hearing. He bit back a smile.

* * *

“Erwin Smith,” Eren muttered, chopsticks in one hand and his mouse in the other. He sat cross legged on his couch, laptop screen illuminating his face. It was probably in poor taste to do recon on your boss but Eren figured that finding out said boss was hanging around the burned apartment of a dead guy was an excuse enough. The files that came up consisted mostly of things he’d already learned from the internet. There were redacted pages of course, considering the fact that he was higher up in the chain of command. Still, what Eren did read only served to grow his confusion.

 _"Erwin Smith’s position was changed in August of the year 2015 when he took the offer to become Titan’s head spokesperson,”_ Eren read off in the effort that hearing them would somehow set off a lightbulb in his head. “August 2015… why does that sound familiar?”

He leafed through his notes while his other hand fed sesame chicken to his mouth. He made a muffled sound of triumph when he found it, swallowing quickly. “ _Towards the end of August there was a multitude of eye witness reports claiming they had seen a man shrouded in smoke slipping out of several store buildings. No items were found stolen. Based on reports we believe this was the beginning of The Storm’s crimes. On September 20 th The Storm was identified for the first time under his alias. His true identity remains yet to be discovered.”_ Eren frowned, sitting back. “Coincidence maybe?”

He wrote the dates down, eyes catching another one of countless notes scattered across the table. _July 30 th, 2015: Levi Ackermann was found dead in his apartment._

“Okay, that’s just suspicious.” Eren was struck with the sudden realization that his penchant for talking to himself was starting to grow the further and further he delved into the life of crime and justice. Great, just what he needed. To look even more insane than he probably already was.

He laid the three papers out in front of himself, staring at the dates as if they could start telling him what the fuck was going on. “Three different events all revolving around a month or so. Could be coincidence… but then again it could be something more.”

Eren threw his hands up in defeat, staring sulkily up at the ceiling. “I never even liked crime shows why am I the one in this mess?”

 _You know why,_ his thoughts whispered. _You want to know more._

He’d always gravitated towards the strange and mysterious, it was no surprise he was in this mess. His curiosity was going to be the death of him yet.

Eren jumped at the sound of three distinct knocks on his door. He sat still for a few long moments, staring at it with wide eyes. The knocks sounded again, a bit more impatient this time. He scrambled up, closing his laptop and shoving his papers into a pile. He just barely remembered to check the peephole to make sure it wasn’t a murderer before he yanked the door open. “Levi!” He panted, adjusting his sweater when it fell down a shoulder. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

The man gave him a once over. “I didn’t mean to cut into your masturbation time, I just stopped by to ask about your pipes.”

Eren blushed brilliantly at the jab though any attempts at refuting the statement died out in confusion. “My… pipes?”

Levi snorted. “A few of the other tenants have complained about water pressure being low. I need to know if it’s a building wide thing before I call the water company. So do you mind if I look?”

“Oh,” he said dumbly. “Sure, it’s through the hall. Or, well, I guess you know since you’re the landlord.”

“Thanks.” Levi stepped inside, letting his fumbling slide much to Eren’s relief. “I’ll make it quick. I was going to ask when you came by but you distracted me with the food.”

“Oh, right,” he closed the door, glancing at the man’s disappearing back. “did you like it?”

“It was good,” Levi said, loud enough for him to hear. The sound of running water hit Eren’s ears as he leaned back against the wall. He figured hovering awkwardly over the other man wouldn’t be all that appreciated. “your taste isn’t half bad.”

“Hey, now that you’re here I was wondering something.” Eren toyed with the hem of his sweater, watching his shadow play along the floor.

The water shut off. “What is it?”

“I’ve heard some rumors about criminal activity around here. Do you think we’re safe? Especially from the bigger name villains?”

“You’re talking about The Storm aren’t you?”

Eren jumped, turning to look at Levi. He laughed nervously, having missed his footsteps somehow. “Well not just him, others too.”

Levi stared at him for a few long moments. “You’re safe here, Eren,” he finally said, heading towards the door. “Don’t worry about the big bads. The Storm doesn’t break into people’s homes, he has more important things to do or so the news says.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He sighed, following after Levi. “I’ve just been jumpy lately I guess. Should probably stop reading ghost stories before bed.”

“Ghosts can’t hurt you,” he smiled faintly, pausing in front of the door to look back at Eren. “Not the normal ones anyways. They’re nothing but a forgotten memory.”

Eren glanced back at his research. “Sounds lonely.”

Levi shook his head, reaching out to pull open the door. “Your water pressure is fine so it must just be a random issue. I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of your night. Goodnight, Eren.”

He stared after him, watching as the shadows swallowed up the landlord. Somehow, from where he was standing, Levi almost looked like a ghost himself. “Yeah,” Eren said softly and far too late. “Goodnight, Levi.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi is back at it again with the spooks


	6. A Single Shot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> second chapter of the night, as promised. Most of the upcoming chapters are going to be on the longer side of things as things heat up

“Long time no see, _Lupus_. I’d give you a slap on the back but I wouldn’t want to catch anything.”

Eren gave a long suffering sigh. “The name wasn’t my idea. Erwin picked it. I don’t even see why I need it since I’m not a hero.”

“Everyone gets a code name,” Marco said sympathetically. His brown hair was mused from training, his cheeks red from the wind. “besides the disease relation it sounds pretty cool.”

“Thanks, Marco.” Eren gave a small smile. “I’ve been figuring out how I’m going to complete the job I took so I haven’t had time until now to come by. I was hoping to work off some of my frustration.”

“You hit a roadblock already?” Jean shook his head, giving Eren’s shoulder a pat despite his previous words. “That’s tough luck. Erwin must not be going easy on you.”

“I picked this one,” he admitted. “it’s my fault, really. It’s just been harder than expected. I’ll figure it out though.”

Marco gave him a warm smile. “I’m sure you will, Eren. Until then, why don’t we spar?”

* * *

Eren was never sparring with Marco ever again. “I. Hate. You.”

The other man looked on in sympathy as Eren wheezed, face red as he finally drew in proper air. “I’m sorry, I don’t have abnormal strength. I had to come up with other means to subdue a giant wolf.”

_"By suffocating me?”_

“He does it to lots of people, you’re not special.” Jean leaned down, heaving him up onto shaking legs. “Those tornado things he does are pretty interesting to watch when you’re not the one inside of them. Sucks, doesn’t it?”

 Eren shared a look of suffering. “It’s the worst.”

Marco touched a hand to Eren’s arm in apology. “I really didn’t mean any harm. I would never try to actually kill you.”

He sighed, tension easing from his shoulders. He couldn’t stay mad when someone as kind as Marco was looking at him with those big sad eyes. “It’s fine, I get it. I’m still not sparring with you again, though. Not for a long while anyways. Now that I know what suffocation feels like I have a whole new round of nightmares coming. Where are the others anyways? Maybe Reiner could go for a round or something, that’d be fun to watch.”

“They’re out on assignments.” Jean shrugged, fixing some of Marco’s hair. “They’ll be back eventually. Probably not before you leave though.”

“Damn,” Eren muttered. “I was hoping Mikasa and Annie would help with my electricity. I’ve been working on it a lot in my apartment. I think I’ve got the hang of it now for the most part. It’s the really big stuff I need help with.”

“I’m sure they’ll be more than willing to meet up once they get back. I’ll relay the message if you’re not here.”

Eren shot Marco a grateful look. “Your powers suck when you’re using them against me but you’re the best Marco.”

Jean pressed a kiss to the other male’s cheek. “You’re damn right he is.”

 Marco blushed, shooting Jean a loving smile.

Eren’s eyes rolled.

* * *

His phone rang halfway into dinner and Eren had to excuse himself from the argument he’d been having with Jean over which fictional superhero would win a fight against Batman. It was obviously Wonder Woman but Jean insisted on The Joker like a complete _moron_. “Hello?” He said, shutting the door behind him to block out Jean’s outraged cries.

“Eren,” Erwin Smith’s voice greeted. “I was calling to see how you’re settling into the job so far. I saw the pictures you sent in for analyzing. I’m glad to see you’re taking things seriously.”

“It’s a job,” Eren repeated. “Of course I’d take it seriously. I wanted to explore the crime scene first before doing anything else. I was hoping it would give me some clues but I didn’t really have much luck. I’m a photographer not a detective.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. A new pair of eyes is always helpful. I was actually calling to inform you of a possible location of The Storm. There’s been several sightings downtown. You might be able to get a few good photos if you hurry.”

He straightened, frowning out at the sky. It was getting dark already; it’d be hard to get much of anything without a flash of some sort. “Where?” He asked.

“Around the docks. I’ll text you the exact address. Call if you need any backup.”

“Will do,” Eren said, ending the call. He stalked back into the hall to grab his jacket and a handful of the fries he’d been eating. “I need to head back to the city,” he said over Marco and Jean’s confusion. “but Wonder Woman definitely wins. She’s a goddess and she’d kick your ass if she heard you thought some green haired hobgoblin could top her.”

Jean sputtered as the door slammed closed behind him.

* * *

The city was intimidating at night but then again, most were. Especially one ridden with criminals and villains. Eren was also still learning his way around the place which didn’t help matters at all.

The location Erwin gave him was pretty broad, spanning several blocks. Eren wasn’t really sure where to start so he just had his driver drop him on the outskirts. He didn’t want whoever was out there to know that he was coming. The Storm had healed him once but Eren had no idea what he would do if they came face to face again. He wasn’t sure he wanted to find out either.

The streets were dim as Eren ducked into alleys and down deserted streets. He would have been terrified if he didn’t know that he could change into a wolf half the size of a house. A regular human would just be asking for something bad to happen.

By the time Eren reached the other side of the map he’d drawn out he was beginning to think all his rush had been for nothing. His feet ached from walking, body still bruised from sparring with Marco. He just wanted to turn back, take a nice shower and collapse into his bed.

It was usually around that train of thought that something popped out at the protagonist right? Eren was seriously beginning to hate that cliché.

“What are you doing here?” A voice hissed from behind him, moments before Eren spotted the flashing of lights. A hand covered his mouth, muffling the scream he tried to let escape. Electricity coursed through Eren’s hands as he clawed at the arm around his shoulders, giving his assailant a good dose of voltage. A harsh curse sounded from behind him and Eren found himself free of unwanted hands. He was seconds away from bolting down the alleyway when that voice sounded again. “Wait! In thirty seconds a group of armed killers are going to walk down that street. Do you really want them to see you?”

Eren froze, eyes darting left and right. He didn’t know if this was a trick and he was scared to find out. In the end advanced instincts saved him as the sound of voices drifted into his ears. Eren hid in the shadows with his unknown attacker, body stiff with tension as what little light had been inside the alley was cast in shadow.

“Thought I heard something,” someone said.

“Forget it,” another voice muttered. “let’s get out of here. This was a bad idea anyways. Must of bailed on the deal…”

Eren strained to hear the rest, certain it had something to do with why Erwin had called him out here. His attacker spoke up instead.

“That fucking taser of yours is a menace. What the hell are you even doing here anyways?” A pale hand flicked the camera around his neck. “Sightseeing?”

He backed away, eyes wary. “I don’t know who you are or what you want but I don’t want any trouble. I was just passing through.”

“Right,” the stranger said dryly. “in one of the most dangerous parts of the city. I believe you completely.”

“I don’t think you have any right to judge,” Eren shot back, voice an angry whisper. He had no idea if those men would come back or not. “What are you doing here? Waiting to scare innocent bystanders to death?”

“I _belong_ here, moron. Unlike you. You practically scream innocence.” He stepped out from the side of the wall, letting the light hit eyes eaten up by blue. Something rustled behind him and Eren knew what it was even before they hit the light. Wings. This man had wings and glowing eyes and there was fog curling around his ankles like a cat.

He’d found The Storm alright. Just not through a camera lens.

“Finally figure it out? Don’t shit your pants, I’m not going to hurt you. You haven’t done anything to me and I’m feeling generous today. So why don’t you run along before someone else decides to do the opposite?”

“Thank you,” Eren blurted out, ignoring the jabs being thrown his way.

The man shot him a bewildered look. “For what?”

“You helped me,” he said, feeling a sinking sensation in his gut with every moment that passed with the villain sporting that look. “A while ago you um, you healed my leg. It was broken and I couldn’t walk. You told me to stay out of your way and then your smoke helped show me the way out. You probably don’t remember… I get why you wouldn’t—“

“I remember,” Storm interrupted. Eren decided to call him that for his own sanity’s sake. All the titles with ‘the’ in the front were beginning to drive him insane. It made for terrible inner dialogue. “You had a camera then too. Maybe that’s your problem. You should stop carrying it around, maybe you’ll get into less trouble.”

“You wouldn’t be the first to say that,” Eren admitted.

He stepped closer, squinting up at him. It was then that Eren realized Storm was shorter than him. “Did you really come all this way to thank me?”

“Well, no.” He smiled sheepishly, holding up his camera. Honesty seemed to be the best policy even if he couldn’t explain himself completely. “I wanted to take a picture of you. I didn’t get to the day you helped me.”

“…You really are a moron aren’t you?”

“Hey! I’ll have you know that a lot of people would pay a lot of money for a good picture of you.” His voice softened. “Plus I like taking pictures of beautiful things.”

“You’re really laying it on thick, huh?” Wings shifted in the dark, glinting silver in the places light hit. “I’ll give you one picture and then you have to scram. But only because you asked so nicely.”

Eren flushed brightly, embarrassed by the fact that he’d just practically flirted with a villain. A famous one, nonetheless. “Could you turn a bit?” He asked softly, gesturing to the light. “You probably don’t want to be completely seen judging by the fact that you’re staying in the shadows. No one knows your true identity right? If we do it this way most of you will be hidden.”

“You’re a strange kid,” came the quiet answer. Storm stepped closer, turning under Eren’s instruction. Eren stepped back, satisfied by the small stream of light cutting across one side of the man’s face. It was a rather dramatic effect and one he wished he could play around with. But one picture it was.

“Spread your wings a bit?” He asked hopefully, backing further down the alleyway so he could get a proper shot. He bit his lip, watching as the man’s wings spread slowly. “Right there,” Eren said, stopping him from extending them fully. He crouched, toying with the settings of his camera before he was satisfied. The last thing he wanted was for this picture to turn out underexposed and black. This was a once in a life opportunity, after all. The click of the shutter was quiet in the alley but it seemed to slice through the moment like a knife.

Storm’s wings closed, head shifting away from the light. “I hope you got what you were looking for. Now scram. Don’t make this a habit.” A trail of smoke parted from his legs to climb up Eren’s body instead. “That’ll take you to safety.”

Eren hesitated, glancing back at him. “You’re not really as bad as they say you are, are you?”

The faint outline of a smile was barely visible in the dark without Eren shifting. He couldn’t risk it. “You’ll never find out.”

* * *

The smoke curled around his wrist, pointing in certain directions and calling him to stop and hide at others. It seemed the empty streets were stirring and Eren was lucky he’d run into the villain when he had. He would have had to fight his way out otherwise.

He called a cab when he began to recognize familiar streets. Storm’s magic stayed with him until it appeared before evaporating into nothing. Eren almost missed the warmth of it. He climbed into the cab, rattling off his address before pulling his camera out of his book bag. He bit his lip as it turned on, nervous to see if he’d gotten the picture right.

Eren’s breath was stolen away when the memory card finally loaded. A lone figure was visible in the small screen, painted in highlights of silver. His head was ducked, eyes glowing just enough that the one in the light lit up long eyelashes.

He thought back to what his real goal had been, letting out a heavy breath. “I’m in trouble,” he whispered, putting his camera away with a newfound reverence.

* * *

In the end, Eren kept the photo to himself. He had no way to explain himself even if he did send it in. How could he tell Erwin that he’d come face to face with the villain and had felt nothing but safe after the initial scare? He’d say that it was a trick for sure. That he’d been being played with. Or worse yet, he’d be taken off the job. That was the last thing Eren wanted.

So, he printed two copies. One he pinned to his wall, separate from the job map he’d created. The other he tucked away into his portfolio, where it would be safe. He backed it up onto the USB with all his favorite photos and even sent one to Armin for safe keeping with a generic explanation. It was special, that much he knew. He just wasn’t sure of its purpose just yet. Somehow, Eren got the feeling that he’d learn.

He sent an email to Erwin and explained how fruitless his endeavor was. The man sent an answer back shortly after with condolences and the encouragement to keep trying.

Eren was still rather suspicious of his involvement in everything. It was foolish maybe, to suspect one of the heads of a company known for doing good of foul play but something didn’t sit right with Eren when he looked at those files. Someone wasn’t telling him the full truth and he had the sneaking suspicion that that someone was tall, blonde and in charge.

“Are you a college student?” Levi asked one day, when he found Eren sitting outside with one of Titan’s history books. He was hoping to find some trace of Levi Ackermann, even if it was just an ancestor. Anything to prove the man wasn’t just a ghost.

Eren looked up at him through disheveled bangs. “Sort of. I’m on break right now.”

“I thought college didn’t let out until May?”

He grimaced. “It wasn’t exactly planned. I was sort of forced into it.”

A look of understanding crossed Levi’s face. “What are you studying?”

“Photography,” Eren laughed, holding up his camera. “I know it’s a surprise.”

“I wondered if that was a hobby or something more. You seem to enjoy it.” Levi leaned against the railing of the steps. Not for the first time he wondered if all those bandages ever bothered him. “What do you take pictures of?”

“People mostly,” Eren admitted. He reached over for his camera, turning it on before holding it out for Levi to see. “I like things that are unique and people are especially. I’ve gotten into a lot of trouble finding new and odd places to shoot in. Thankfully I have friends who are willing to put up with it to model for me. A lot of the modeling students agree to do it for free so that they can build their portfolios.”

“These are really good,” Levi said in surprise. “I figured you had to be good but some of these are… something else.”

Eren positively beamed. “And that’s without any retouching or added coloring,” he said proudly. “I’m glad you like them.”

“I’d like to see your finished work someday.” He paused, the clicking of the arrow button falling silent. “Is this who I think it is?”

Eren froze when Levi tilted the screen. He hadn’t deleted the photo off of his camera roll yet. He’d been reluctant to part with it even with all the copies he’d saved, scared that he would lose it somehow. He should have known better than to think Levi wouldn’t see it. “Who do you think it is?”

Levi shot him a look that told him he wasn’t fooling anyone. “Last week you were worried about your safety and now you have a picture of a criminal on your camera? Those are some mixed signals if I’ve ever heard one.”

“It wasn’t planned,” Eren said softly. “I didn’t expect—I never thought I would get the chance to control the photo. It was an accident.”

“It’s a good shot,” he said, staring down at the screen with an unreadable expression. “You’re really good to have gotten this in one shot.”

Shock hit him hard like a bucket of ice water. “How did you know it was only one shot?”

Levi shrugged, seeming ignorant to Eren’s disbelief. “There’s only one picture on here. The others had multiples. I just assumed there was only one. If that wasn’t the case I’m sorry, but I still say it’s a great photo. Amazing even.”

Eren took the camera back, cradling it to his chest as he recovered from his brief panic. “Thank you.” He smiled slightly, eyes staring at something Levi couldn’t see. “It’s funny, I never really thought about humans that weren’t ‘normal’ before. I was so set on taking pictures of things out of the ordinary that I completely bypassed an entire category of subject. It figures it would take meeting a criminal to open up my eyes.”

“You saying you’re planning on chasing after villains to ask them to take their picture?”

Eren snorted. “No, I’m not that stupid. I think what I’m trying to say is… I wish I had more than one picture. I wish I could get closer.”

Levi made a soft sound of acknowledgement. “You don’t care that he’s a criminal?”

“No,” he said, realizing it was true. “it’s not like he’s a serial killer. I felt safe with him even if he scared me half to death in the beginning. And even if he was a killer… well I’ve always had a skewed sense of morals. If he didn’t want to hurt me I think I’d be okay with it. With any of them.” He looked up at Levi, giving a soft smile. “It’s nice to talk about this with you. I can’t really tell anyone else. It’s good to get my thoughts out into the open. I’ll probably never get the chance to take a picture like this again but I’m grateful for the time I had. He was a beautiful subject and one of my favorites already.”

Levi was sporting a particularly odd expression. If Eren didn’t know any better he’d almost say that he was blushing. “Sure thing.” He coughed, looking away. “I should head inside. Good luck with your book.”

“Thanks,” Eren called, watching in bemusement as he hurried away. For once, since landing in this city, he felt completely at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drop a comment? ;)


	7. Overload

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was going to post this tomorrow but both uni and work starts back up then and I didn't want to forget in the wake of it all

Eren raced after a moving target, paws pounding into the dirt. The flying machine was fast, pushing Eren closer and closer to top speeds. In the end he was faster. He snapped it up into his jaws, crunching the hunk of metal to bits before spitting out what remained in his mouth. His tail wagged with his victory, mouth open wide to pant. He’d never thought being a wolf could be enjoyable but it was fun when he let loose.

“There goes another drone,” Petra sighed in exasperation, watching as Eren pranced back to where they sat.

“Let him have his fun, we have more where that came from.” Erwin smiled, lips pressing against folded hands as he leaned forward. “I see you’re learning quite fast,” he called once Eren was in hearing range. “I don’t suppose you’d want a more active position in the field?”

An attendant was nearby with a robe when Eren shifted back to human form, helping him to cover up. “I don’t want to be a hero,” he said, for what felt like the hundredth time. “I like taking pictures not fighting crime.”

“A pity but I understand. Petra?” Erwin looked over to the scientist. “Is there anything you want to see?”

“I’ve been doing tests on his range of strength and the voltage he can channel. Since today seems to be the day for sacrificing drones I’d like to try a field test involving Eren’s electricity against a group of targets coming at him all at once.” She looked over at Eren, taking in his sweaty face. “Do you think you’re up for it?”

Eren gave her a thumbs up, turning back to the field. “Sure thing. Wolf or human?”

“Human first,” she decided. “We can do the wolf after if you’re not too tired.”

He nodded, heading back out into the center of the field. He probably looked ridiculous bracing himself to fight in a fluffy robe. Still he guessed it was good to practice in all types of gear.

Six drones flew up into the air, filling his ears with the low buzz of their wings. Eren took several steadying breaths as they neared, focusing that familiar heat in the pit of his stomach into something concentrated, corporal. Sparks began to light up his hands, lines of electricity coming off his limbs in waves. His hair stood on end, eyes glowing under the buildup of power. He cried out when he released it, falling to a knee at the sudden release. When he’d tried to describe it to the doctors all he’d been able to reduce it down to was that there was a buildup of pressure. When the pressure became too much he released it, and that made the feeling go away.

The drones crackled and sparked. Engines coughed before giving out, sending the six machines plummeting to the earth. This time it wasn’t entirely Eren’s fault that they smashed to pieces.

“Well done,” Petra praised over the intercom. “How about the wolf now? Raise your hand for yes, head back towards us for no.”

Eren raised a hand. He shed his robe, having become acclimated to being naked around people more often than not. There were a lot of people out there that had seen more than he’d ever planned on letting them see.

He closed his eyes, letting out a slow breath. When he opened them again he was a wolf, bones aching faintly with the change. He blinked tears from his eyes, letting out a bark of challenge.

This time there were eight drones, and they few far faster. Eren built up power quickly, muscles tight with the strain. The machines were smart this time, some coming close while others stayed away from the expected hitting range. Eren wasn’t about to lose.

His fur stood on end, teeth lighting up in bolts of electricity. His eyes burned hotter than ever, paws smoking with the strain. The pressure was painful, it roiled and twisted inside Eren’s belly like a wild beast. It was more of a relief than ever when he let it all go with a snarl, slamming a wave of energy into the machines. His power traveled past the incapacitated drones, hitting the concrete walls and causing lights to flicker. A few people gave shouts of alarm from inside the compound. The ones on the field ducked for cover. In the end Eren wasn’t able to do anything other than stare at the scorch marks left behind. It was then that he realized how dangerous this power could be. Every action would have consequence. There was no taking back the choices he made. It was a heavy truth to acknowledge.

Even heavier was his body, oddly. Eren fell to the ground, vision wavering. He let out a soft whine before his world went black.

* * *

He came back to awareness with a less than pleasant jolt. Glowing eyes flew open as Eren surged upright; he regretted it immediately when his vision swam black instead of going clear.

“Easy,” someone said, touching a hand to his shoulder. “don’t move too fast—“

He wheezed in response, lungs tight. It took a few long breaths for his world to steady and a few more for his eyesight to return to normal. The arena came back into focus, only this time Eren was distinctly human. A robe was wrapped around his body and Petra was hovering over him with a worried look on her face. “What happened?”

“You must have overexerted yourself you fainted after taking down the second round of drones. How do you feel?”

“Like hell.” Eren grimaced as he sat up, muscles screaming in protest. He noticed someone behind the scientist begin to write—he assumed they were documenting his responses. “Where’s Erwin?”

“He had to leave on a call.” Petra frowned, stopping him from getting up. “Don’t get up just yet. We need to make sure there isn’t an underlining issue. I’d wondered if extended exposure to electricity would affect your cardiovascular system and I’m extremely worried about your heart right now.”

Eren’s eyes blew wide in alarm. “My _heart_?” A hand flew to his chest as if to reassure himself that it was still there. “You think I had a heart attack?”

“I don’t know anything right now,” she admitted. A stranger in a lab coat came running with an armful of equipment and the scientist was quick to start hooking him up to machines. A heart monitor was placed over his index finger and various pads were stuck to the skin of his chest and face. “I want you to try to remain calm. As of right now you appear to not be in any further danger but an elevated stress level might agitate whatever lingering effects are taking place.”

How he was expected to remain calm in the face of a doctor telling him his heart might be in danger was a mystery to him. “My body hurts,” Eren said nervously. “is that a bad sign?”

Petra raised one of his hands. “I’m not sure yet. I want you to bend your fingers. Can you feel them?”

The shifter obeyed obediently. “They’re tingling and a little numb,” he admitted.

She jotted down several notes. “This is where powers come in handy,” she murmured. “I’m going to look at your organs, alright? This shouldn’t hurt at all.”

Eren watched as her eyes scanned his body. Nothing out of the ordinary seemed to take place and yet they were moving back and forth as if reading the pages of a book. “I’m confused.”

Petra blinked, breaking the silent stare down. Her hand flew over her papers, jotting down notes that made no sense to him. “I have the ability to see beyond the layer of your skin,” she explained with a wry smile. “it’s part of the reason why I do what I do. Your organs seem alright. Your heart is definitely a little strained and your pulse is sluggish which is probably why you fainted. The voltage probably made it hard to breathe and paired with all the activity you’ve done today your body is exhausted. Your healing factor appears to be working luckily so with some proper nutrition and some rest you should be okay.”

Eren tried not to be overwhelmed by all the information being thrown his way. “So you’re saying there’s a limit,” he said slowly. “that if I try to use too much power my body could give out?”

“Exactly.” Petra set down her notes to meet his eyes, expression serious. “Your body has the backing of your healing factor but even then it can only take so much. Too much concentrated voltage at once could seriously harm you. Pushed to the limit and your heart could explode. I was worried that would be the case.”

A wave of fear washed over him. “How will I know what’s too much?”

She smiled grimly. “We won’t really. This is a good indicator though. We can start doing more tests to outline your limits. For right now though I want you to take a break from using your powers. Let your body recover and repair itself. I’d like to monitor you for a few more hours too before sending you home.”

“Alright,” Eren said numbly. “sounds good.”

One of the onlookers moved forward at a glance from Petra, helping him to stand. The shifter wavered, the machine on his finger flashing faster before his vision cleared once more. Petra collected the other machines in her arms, staying close by so as to not rip the pads that were connected to his skin off. “Head to the lab at your own pace. It doesn’t matter how slow, we’ve got time.”

Eren nodded and took a steadying breath. He began forward.

* * *

By the time he was released it was nearing midnight. Eren wanted desperately to go to sleep but it was the first of the month and he still had to drop off his rent to Levi. He was limping slightly as he made his way up the stairs of the apartment complex, muscles still aching with strain. Petra had given him fluids and some painkillers but they couldn’t erase everything. Sleep was the best option at this point.

Eren knocked lightly on the door to the front office, glad to see that the light was on. He didn’t want to have to worry about coming by the next day. Who knew how he would feel. A muffled call for him to enter came through the wood and he pushed open the door. The office was on the small side with a few chairs sat in front of a wide black desk. The surface of it was rather tidy with papers in neat piles and a computer and printer sat off to the side. The overhead light was off but the lamp behind the desk was on, letting out a soft light.

“You look like hell,” Levi remarked from behind the desk, taking in the bandages wrapped around half of Eren’s arms as well as the cuts dotting his face.

He sighed. “I know. I just came to drop off my rent. I’m going to go try to sleep off the pain.”

Levi tossed the offered envelope onto his desk. He rounded the side of it, glancing up at Eren in what almost looked like concern. “What happened? Don’t tell me you went chasing after villains. I was joking when I said that.”

“No,” Eren said, cracking a smile. “This wasn’t a criminal. I overexerted myself on accident and this was the consequence. Don’t worry though, I’m on strict bedrest from work for the next few days. Only rest and relaxation for me.”

“That’s good.” Some of the tension eased out of his shoulders. “I can bring by some food later. I have to go shopping anyways. What kind of sushi do you want?”

“It’s already midnight,” Eren protested. “Don’t waste your money on me.”

“Right, so salmon then?”

“Eel,” he sighed. “and only eel. Salmon is gross. It’s all slimy and chewy and the flavor is just…” he shuddered, making a face.

Levi snorted, amusement curling the corners of his lips. “Noted. I’ll come by around dinner, that should give you some time to rest.”

“If I’m not awake you can just use your key,” Eren shrugged. “I’m a heavy sleeper though so it might take some effort to wake me up.”

“Noted.”

* * *

Despite the realization that Levi coming into his room meant he would see Eren’s messy wall of data the shifter was out like a light as soon as his head hit his pillows. He’d made an attempt to mask all of the papers with a sheet thrown over it but had barely had the energy to see if it had worked. By the time that Levi came around he was still dead to the world, giving no notice to the sound of soft knocking. The click of the front door followed and the door to Eren’s bedroom slid open a crack shortly after.

A soft sigh mingled with the shifter’s steady breaths and the door closed once more. It wouldn’t be until later that Eren would wake up to a fridge full of sushi and a note written in messy scrawl laid out on the counter.

In the days following Eren’s recovery the shifter had little more to do than figure out how to repay Levi for his generosity in between bouts of the internet. In the end he decided that he would keep up their tradition of food swapping and made his way down to the sushi place Levi had recommended. He wasn’t sure if the other man liked eel as well so he ordered an assortment of rolls as well as some pastries for dessert. The last thing he wanted to do was to show up with a bunch of food Levi didn’t even like. Then they’d have to start the process all over again.

It occurred to Eren that this was a bit out of the ordinary as he made his way back to his apartment, food in hand. He didn’t know very many people who were on such friendly terms with their landlord and it was surely bad business to keep up the current situation. Still, Eren couldn’t help but like Levi. In the few conversations that they’d had he’d been a mix of witty sarcasm and kind generosity and everyone knew Eren was a bit short on normal friends right now.

He checked Levi’s office first but found no trace of the male. Levi’s apartment was next and luckily, fate seemed to be on his side. The door swung open after his first round of knocks, revealing the landlord in a pair of sweats and a loose t-shirt. Levi blinked in surprise. “What’re you doing here?”

Eren held up his bag sheepishly. “I wanted to return the favor after I slept through you bringing me food.”  

He crossed his arms. “You know this cycle is just going to continue if you don’t stop trying to make us even.”

“Would that be such a bad thing?”

Levi considered it. “I guess it depends on your view.” He stepped aside, gesturing to his living room. “Come in then.”

Eren took the invitation gladly, letting the door close behind him. He slipped his shoes off and placed them on the mat beside the door. A few pairs of shoes were already lined up and Eren tried not to smile at the neat display.

“I’ll get some drinks,” Levi said, disappearing into the kitchen. “You want water?”

“Sure,” he agreed, setting the bag down on the coffee table. A glance to the TV showed that a rerun of Friends was on pause and he took a seat on the soft black couch. Eren didn’t know what he’d expected of Levi’s apartment but it somehow fit. The walls were a bit sparse but the little trinkets littering bookshelves and furniture made up for it.

Levi returned with two glasses in hand. He took the seat beside Eren once he’d set them down, examining the containers the shifter had set out while he was gone. “You really went all out, huh?”

“I wanted to make sure I got something you’d like.” Eren gave an embarrassed smile. “I didn’t know what your taste was.”

“Eel is pretty good for me too but these aren’t bad.”

“I’m glad I chose well.” Eren handed him a set of chopsticks before breaking his own. They broke off at the top, leaving him pouting at his misfortune. It was always a hit or miss with him which made watching Levi wield a perfect set of chopsticks all the more bitter. “You are not human.”

“What?” Levi asked, eye widening.

“You did that without even trying,” Eren huffed, pointing at the chopsticks. “You didn’t even look! You can’t be human, there’s no way. That’s on god level or something.”

A look of understanding passed over his face. “Sorry,” he said, chuckling softly. “We can trade if you want?”

Eren grumbled but in the end was not above taking pity perfection. Levi rolled his eyes at the happy look he sported when wielding them but said nothing more. A unanimous vote had them turning the TV back on as they ate as Eren was more than happy to join Levi in watching a classic. Levi's laughter was soft, he found out. Little breathy exhales interspersed with low chuckles. It was nice, the shifter decided. 

“So why are you being so nice to me?” Eren eventually asked once they’d finished an episode. The majority of the food on the table was gone but the desserts still remained. “Not that I don’t appreciate it but I’ve never had a landlord like you. You always seem to stop to talk to me when you see me outside this place.”

Levi shrugged. “I’ve never had a tenant like you. You always look like a lost puppy. When you came into my office you looked sick. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Eren decided to ignore the puppy comment. “Thank you then,” he said honestly. “but I think we have a bit of a problem.”

“We do?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, pointing his chopsticks at Levi. “I really like you and last time I checked it was bad business etiquette to do business with friends, lovers and family. Never ends well or so I've heard. So that leaves us with a dilemma. Do I move out or do I just start ignoring you?”

“You could do neither and go out to lunch with me,” Levi offered, amusement heavy in his gaze. “You’re a real supporter of clichés, huh?”

“Excuse you, Mr. Landlord, I’ll have you know that that’s an insult.” Eren picked up another piece of sushi somewhat clumsily, shoving it into his mouth before it could break apart. He ignored Levi laughter, mouth opening once he’d swallowed. “As for the lunch… is it a date kind of lunch or a friend type of deal?”

“It’s whatever you want it to be,” Levi said honestly.

Eren smiled down at his chopsticks. “Then it’s a date.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can't have nice things without a sprinkle of drama


	8. The Date

“Fuck,” Eren hissed, narrowly dodging a bicyclist moving in the opposite direction. “I hate people that can fly, I hate them so much—“

" _Sightings of the villain deemed The Storm have been happening all over 2 nd Street,”_ the woman in his ear droned. _“civilians are encouraged to stay indoors until the situation has been handled. Eye sight is already limited due to the growing cloud of smoke and police heavily recommend not venturing inside.”_

There was a stitch in Eren’s side and his clothes were stuck to his skin with sweat. For what seemed to be the millionth time Eren really regretted taking this job. Whose idea was it to chase around a villain that could _fly_ anyways? He didn’t have wings what good did he do? Not to mention the fact that he couldn’t turn into a giant wolf on the streets. Not without declaring himself a hero.

“Stupid title, stupid society.” Eren came to a stop in front of a cloud of smoke, hands braced on his knees as he gasped for air. “Fuck. Kill me now.”

When he was slightly less out of breath and his side had eased up some he straightened. His camera was set around his neck, eyes taking in the smoke warily. There was no getting around it, he would have to shift somewhat to have any hope of seeing anything in there. Thankfully, Petra had cleared him for work. Erwin hadn’t said anything in protest during his week-long break but his impatience was pretty obvious. Eren wasn’t sure why since the case seemed to have been ongoing for a while now. It just made the shifter more curious in the end as to Erwin’s involvement in everything.

Eren sighed, stepping into the darkness. His eyes burned as they shifted, adjusting to the dark conditions. They glowed with the strain, something he couldn’t help. Hopefully Storm wouldn’t take offense to his capabilities if they happened to meet again.

Something occurred to him as he moved closer to the sound of combat. For all the people calling the stuff around him smoke it didn’t hurt a bit to breathe in. In fact, it seemed to almost be parting for him. Strange but Eren would take what he could get. It was only a matter of time before his target vanished. The Storm never stayed in one place for very long.

He was brought to the edge of what appeared to be a fight of sorts… or the remains of one anyways. Eren’s camera lifted, taking photos even as he absorbed what he was seeing. A group of men lay groaning in a pile before the man Eren knew as The Storm. His wings were bristled, the outline stark against the less dense smoke surrounding him.

“…stop stuffing your pockets with money from the people under your protection…”

Eren strained to hear but it was difficult. Something about the magic around him fought back against his senses. He had to wonder if the villain didn’t know where he was right that moment.

There was the sound of snapping bone and a sharp cry. His stomach lurched at the sound.

“Don’t make me visit you again,” Storm hissed, wings flaring wide. He took a running leap, using the buildings around him to get high enough to catch the air. The smoke began to dissipate with his leave and Eren’s confusion was left in the wake of getting free of the crime scene before anyone saw him.

Another ten minutes of running and several cramps later Eren sighed as he looked over his photos. The smoke had made it difficult to get much but he’d gotten the gist at least. Erwin should be happy enough with them considering it was his second try. The adventure had made one thing for certain though: he needed to work on his cardio.

* * *

Eren sent the photos off with minimal touch ups with a time and location of where they’d been taken. As soon as that was done he scrambled to get ready for the date he’d planned with Levi. He was cutting it close but he’d showered before editing the pictures so he was confident his college skills would come in handy in this respect at least.

Sure enough, ten minutes later Eren pulled open the door a bit worse for wear but still ready. “In a hurry?” Levi asked, raising an eyebrow at the sight.

Eren smiled sheepishly, trying to fix his hair. “Had a busy morning. I’ve been rushing around all day.”

“We can reschedule—“

“No! No, it’s fine.” Eren shrugged on a jacket, double checking that he had his wallet and keys before stepping outside. “The change in pace is just what I need. I’ve been looking forward to this.”

Levi seemed surprised by his honesty. “Really?”

This time it was Eren’s turn for surprise. “Yes, really.” He bumped his shoulder. “I did say I like you, remember? I like hanging out with you. I’m glad we’re doing it more. I even brought my camera like you asked.”

“Good,” Levi said, relaxing slightly. “I have a surprise for you.”

* * *

“Wow,” Eren breathed, spinning in place as he took in the garden Levi had brought him to. Of course, it was no ordinary garden. No, this one appeared to be abandoned. Wild flowers and plants that had once been carefully trimmed and maintained were overgrown and overflowing from planters and fences alike. The air was sweet with the smell though not overwhelmingly so. He inhaled it all deeply. Birds fluttered under their approach, emerging from trees while others flitted around flowers for a taste of nectar. “This is perfect.”

Levi looked over at him. “I’m no model or anything… but I thought that maybe, you could pose me. If you wanted anyways. I figured it would be hard for one of your friends to come help.”

Eren’s eyes lit up. “Really? You’d really do that?”

He nodded hesitantly. “It’s the reason I brought you here. I thought it would make you happy.”

Eren didn’t even care that they’d barely started their date. He stepped up to Levi and pressed a firm kiss to his mouth. “You thought right. Let’s go! I have so many ideas!”

“Right,” he said, staring at Eren’s turned back. He looked stunned by the sudden display of affection and in no way prepared to recover so quickly. The shifter gave little notice to his dilemma, ushering him over to a nearby bench.

In the end, startled or not, Levi endured Eren’s poking and prodding like a champ. Despite his hatred of the sun he didn’t complain once in the four hours Eren took his pictures. Even when said pictures involved dirt, bugs and flowers covering various areas of his body. By the time they finally left he appeared a bit worse for wear whilst Eren was shocked at the time. “I’m so sorry,” he apologized, picking flower petals out of Levi’s hair. “I didn’t realize it’d been so long. If I’m hungry you must be starving.”

“It’s fine,” Levi reassured, looking a bit pink around the edges. He brushed some dirt off of the bandages on his arm, gaze critical. “I figured it would take a while. I hope you got some shots that you like.”

“Oh, I definitely did,” Eren grinned, putting his camera back in his book bag. He took Levi’s hand in his, swinging it cheerfully. “I’m excited to look at them on my computer. You’re a great model.”

He smiled slightly. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

They came across a small restaurant that smelled of home cooked meals. The scent had Eren’s mouth watering immediately, eager to get some food in front of him. He was confused as to why the hostess at the front gave them a strange look. It wasn’t until they sat down that he realized it was Levi’s bandages everyone was staring at.

Eren frowned, looking over at a couple beside them. “It’s rude to stare,” he reminded, causing the two to look away in embarrassment.

Levi touched a hand to his. “It’s fine,” he said, though his expression was thankful. “I’m used to it.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s right. It might not be something that you see often but that’s no excuse to single someone out like an animal at the zoo.” His response was interrupted by the arrival of their waitress and by the time that they had ordered the topic moved onto much lighter things.

“I’ve lived here all my life,” Levi divulged. “I’ve been a lot of things but landlord just seemed to sit the best in the end.”

“Yeah? Why’s that?”

He shrugged. “There’s a lot of freedom despite the upkeep and paperwork. I don’t like taking orders either, so it’s nice to be your own boss.”

Eren hummed, toying with his glass. “I get that. My current job is… challenging most days. In more ways than one.”

“You’re a photographer?” Levi guessed.

“Something like that,” he sighed. “it’s not my dream job but it’s something to do and it pays well.”

Levi sat back as their food was delivered, giving a word of thanks to their waitress. “You never did tell me why you’re here.”

“A lot of people seem to be asking that lately,” Eren said ruefully. “It’s kind of personal. Not really a happy story either. I came looking for answers I guess.”

“Did you find them?”

He hesitated. “Most of them.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

Eren smiled at the simplicity of it, unable to help it. It was incredibly easy to be with Levi. He felt safe in the other man’s presence, free and without judgement. Levi had a generally accepting personality if a little rough around the edges and it was refreshing to be around after the whirlwind of doctors, training and heroes. He was endearingly normal amongst all the chaos. It was a trait that Eren appreciated immensely.

“So does your family live here then?” He cut into the steak in front of him, oblivious to the stiffening of the other man’s shoulders. “Or are they far away?”

“I don’t have a family,” Levi finally said, when Eren looked up expectantly. “I was in and out of foster care early on with a few bouts of homelessness in between. Some of the homes weren’t the best so I ran away when it got bad. As soon as I turned eighteen I was on my own.”

“Oh,” he swallowed. “I’m sorry that sounds like it was really hard.”

“It was,” Levi acknowledged. “What about you?”

Eren looked away. He shifted nervously, fingers toying with his silverware. The differences in their stories couldn’t be more apparent. “My parents are dead. They were in an accident a few years ago while on vacation. I was lucky I guess, considering the situation. We were well off and they left everything to me. It’s definitely helped over the years but I would take them back in a heartbeat over some money any day.”

“I don’t know what that feels like,” Levi admitted. “but I think I understand. I’m glad you’ve had their support.”

Somehow it was what he needed to hear. “Thanks,” Eren said softly.

The conversation moved onto much happier topics after that and the shifter was glad. The normalcy of it all was refreshing and he found himself laughing more often than not at Levi’s dry remarks and blatant sarcasm.

When the time came to make a decision on the end of their meal they decided to share a dessert. The menu was too tempting to resist and Eren ordered a brownie sundae, determined to make his already full stomach accept the treat. Despite their growing stomachs the last bite of the dessert dissolved into a battle of spoons. In the end Eren was left pouting over his loss as the other man scooped up the remains. However, instead of the spoon lifting to Levi’s mouth as expected, a bandaged hand lifted it to his own instead. His eyes widened in surprise at the gesture and an eyebrow raised back. With flushed cheeks Eren accepted the offering with a mumbled thank you.

 “I’ll get it,” Levi said when the check came around. When the shifter made to protest he gave him a look. “This was my idea. You can pay next time.”

Eren fell silent at that, smiling instead. _Next time,_ he thought giddily. He was looking forward to it.     

* * *

“Do you want to come in?” Eren asked, looking back at Levi as he opened his apartment door. Levi looked both hesitant and wanting.

“I think that it’d be best if that waited a little longer,” he said apologetically. “It’s not you, it’s just, well.” He gestured to his bandages and Eren understood.

“I get it,” he murmured, stepping closer to wrap his arms around Levi’s shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “We can take our time. You’re not the only one with scars.”

Levi made a sound of confusion. Eren smiled slightly, guiding one of his hands beneath his shirt. The other man stilled when his fingers touched an uneven patch of scar tissue. “What…?”

“I’ll share mine when you’re ready to share yours.” Eren nudged his nose into Levi’s, eyes playful. “I get the feeling they’re both not very happy stories. Maybe we should share them before any sticky business goes down. Might ruin the mood otherwise.”

“’Sticky business,’” Levi laughed, the sound muffled by Eren’s mouth. They detached reluctantly, both looking slightly more mused than before. “Goodnight, Eren. I’m glad you decided to come.”

“Me too.” He smiled warmly. “Sweet dreams, Levi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're so wholesome 
> 
> tell me what you thought?


	9. Rising Pressure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone that's been commenting and sharing their thoughts I appreciate it 100% and it's only making me more excited to share what's to come with you

Eren waited anxiously as his camera uploaded the shoot he’d done with Levi to his computer. He’d been too tired the night of their date to do so and sightings of The Storm had had him running around the city like a madman for three days. Now that he had a break he was determined to look them over and edit them so that he could show Levi the results. The man deserved it considering how long he had spent posing for him.

His computer let out a notification sound, letting Eren know that his files had been uploaded. He unhooked his camera, leg bouncing anxiously as the previews finished clearing. The first photo had his breath taken away all over again.

Eren would be lying if he said he hadn’t taken Levi’s bandages into consideration when posing. He’d done the opposite of trying to hide them, using the flowers and bushes to his advantage. It lent Levi an even more mysterious look and he was struck all over again with how beautiful the other man was. He outshone the flowers even half swathed in bandages. He knew models that would have had trouble with that and Levi had done it like it was nothing.

The pictures he flagged grew in number. He’d taken around five hundred and by the time he was finished wading through them all he had around ninety that he liked. It wasn’t a small feat by any means but Eren was determined to give them all his best attention. Levi deserved it and he wanted to make sure he showed the man only his best work. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he’d enjoyed taking Levi’s picture. It’d been so long since he’d relaxed and done something for fun. Laughing in that garden and creating his own scene had taken some of the pressure off of Eren’s shoulders and he was beyond grateful. He just wanted to try to return the favor somehow. Not so that they would be even but because Levi deserved to feel just as happy.

Eren spent several hours on his couch, editing and enhancing each and every photo he’d kept. He’d turned his phone off so that he could concentrate, headphones in so that he could block out the rest of the world. By the time that he was done Eren’s back ached and his eyes burned but he was finished. The editing process had cut the picture count down to about seventy-five but there were still quite a few pictures left behind. He hoped Levi loved one of them as much as Eren had loved the experience.

He took his headphones off, picking up his phone only to blink in surprise. “Shit,” he muttered, scanning through his messages. He had several missed calls from Erwin and a few texts from Jean, Armin and Levi. He answered Jean and Armin first, letting the hero know that he’d be stopping by sometime Sunday before sending Armin a quick _‘still alive ;) I’ll call you later’_. Levi had sent a simple request for him to come over whenever he was free and Eren smiled, sending off a message to let him know he was on his way with a surprise.

He gathered his laptop, making sure it was charged properly before heading back into his bedroom to freshen up. He probably looked like a mess considering he’d spent most of the day on his couch, hunched over a screen. Eren grimaced at the bags under his eyes. He hoped Levi wouldn’t comment on his lack of sleep, he didn’t want to have to lie about the reason he’d been skipping out. He couldn’t exactly tell him that he’d been busy chasing after a villain at all hours of the day.

Hair slightly more tamed and clothes changed from pajamas into a pair of jeans and a soft black t-shirt Eren hoisted his laptop bag up, over his shoulder. He grabbed his keys on the way out, locking the door behind him before heading down the hallway to Levi’s apartment. He knocked lightly on the door waiting for his… were they boyfriends now? He should probably ask, now that he thought about it.

The door opened to let out the smell of something delicious. Levi smiled at him, a red apron tied around his waist. “Hey, I was just making dinner. You can have some if you want.”

“That’s probably the best thing I’ve heard in the past few days,” Eren admitted, stepping into the apartment. “It smells great.”

“It’s stew,” he told him, closing the door. “It’s been cooking all day so hopefully the meat is tender enough.”

“I haven’t had stew in forever,” he sighed longingly. “college life and all that. Doesn’t give you much time for elaborate meals.”

“Glad to be of service. What’s the laptop for?”

“Oh!” Eren perked up, flashing a wide grin. “I finished editing your photoshoot! I thought you’d want to see. They came out really good, you were a great model.”

Levi smiled slightly, heading back into the kitchen. Eren trailed after him, mouth watering as the smell of food thickened. “I’m glad you think so. I’d love to see them, I told you I wanted to see your finished work someday.”

“Someday is today then,” he declared. Eren pulled his laptop out, setting it up on the kitchen table. His screen came to life, the input of his password revealing an old picture of a younger version of himself and Armin at a cosplay convention. They were both sporting dorky smiles and had thrown together last minute outfits that looked horrible. Somehow the sight always made him smile.

“Who’s that?”

Eren looked back at where Levi was hovering over his shoulder. “His name is Armin, he’s my best friend. We’ve known each other since high school. That,”—he waved a hand at the picture—“was during out first convention. We were pretty embarrassing back then.”

“You miss him?

He smiled sadly. “All the time. He was on an internship in Japan for a while so we couldn’t see each other. He got back a couple weeks ago but as you can see, I’m not there.”

Levi touched a hand to his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll be able to go back soon. You said things are getting better right? Maybe he could even come here.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Eren pulled up the folder he kept all of his projects in, clicking on the one that said Levi. He patted the chair next to him, inviting the man to sit. “You can click through; I’ve already seen them so you can go at your own pace. Do you need me to do anything for dinner while you do that?”

“No, it’s fine,” Levi shook his head. He touched a hand to Eren’s mouse, clicking on the first picture. Eren tried not to stare but he couldn’t help it. The side of Levi’s face that wasn’t bandaged was facing him, which meant he could see the way his eye widened in surprise.

“Wow,” Levi said, examining each picture carefully, as if he’d be quizzed on them later. “Eren, these are… they’re amazing. I thought the pictures on your camera were good but whatever you did to these,”—he shook his head—“I’m impressed all over again.”

Eren didn’t bother fighting his grin. “I didn’t do much. Just played with the saturation and light a bit. That was all you.”

He sat back when he reached the last picture, still wearing an expression of disbelief. “You probably already know this but you’re a damn good photographer. I hope no one ever convinces you otherwise.”

A kiss was pressed to Levi’s cheek. “You’re sweet,” Eren murmured, squeezing the other man’s bandaged hand. “I’m glad you like the pictures. I was hoping they would make you as happy as taking them made me.”

Levi turned his head, stealing a real kiss this time. “I’m still soaking it all in, to be honest. Speaking of soaking…” he got up, turning off the crockpot sitting on his counter. “the stew should be about ready. You ready to eat?”

Eren nodded, shutting off his laptop and stowing it away safely. “I was born ready.”

* * *

“Levi?” He asked, head resting on the other male’s shoulder. Sometime between dinner and cleaning up they’d ended up cuddling on the couch while a rerun of Friends ran on the TV. It seemed to be becoming a bit of a tradition.

“Hm?” Levi hummed, eyes fixed on the screen as Ross had a meltdown over a woman.

“What are we?” Eren bit his lip as a pale blue eye shifted to look down at him. “Are we dating?”

A hand ran through his hair, easing some of the nerves swimming in his belly. “Is that what you want?”

Eren didn’t have to think, he already knew his answer. “Yeah,” he said. “it is.”

Levi smiled, pressing a kiss to one of his hands. The nerves promptly exploded into butterflies instead. “It’s what I want too.”

Their lips touched as Ross screamed, dissolving the embrace into breathy laughter. Eren felt himself wishing he could stay in the moment forever but life had other plans. His phone rang, leaving him cursing himself for turning the sound back on. Levi let him go with a sympathetic look and Eren scrambled for his bag.

“Hello?” He said breathlessly, fixing where his shirt had ridden up from Levi’s hands.

“Eren,” Erwin said. “I’ve been trying to reach you. It’s about the pictures you sent in.”

He frowned, looking over at the couch longingly. Still, he didn’t want to risk Levi overhearing. “What about them?”

“We have reason to believe The Storm is playing at some sort of vigilante role but we have no way of knowing without getting a proper recording of what he says during his… activities. I’m going to send you several microphone and recording devices. If you can get one close enough to him during one of his crimes, we’ll gain vital intel. A better picture of the faces of the people he meets with would be helpful as well.”

“You want me to _what_?” Eren hissed, turning away from Levi’s inquisitive stare. “I told you that I didn’t want a position in the field. Taking pictures was pushing it as it is and now you want me to get even closer? What’s next? Fighting him?”

Erwin didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. “I understand your hesitation, Eren. We can pull you from your current job with no harm done and send in a replacement if you want. I did warn you that things could get dangerous. The Storm is a high stakes criminal and we need to take him down, vigilante or not.”

“But if he’s doing good… can’t he just be left alone?” Eren stared down at his feet. Storm had saved him twice, the second of which had probably saved his life. He’d let him take a picture too, despite his identity being hidden. “It seems unfair to put so many resources into taking down someone who doesn’t seem to be acting violently or without cause.”

“A criminal is a criminal,” was the flat answer. “if you’re beginning to sympathize with him we can pull you. Are you compromised, Eren?”

The question threw him. It was something he’d only ever heard in spy and police movies. Was he compromised? Probably. But still, Eren didn’t want to let someone else take his place. He still wanted to know more about the villain who didn’t seem like a villain at all. “No, sir,” he said quietly.

“I’ll send over the equipment tomorrow then. Goodnight, Eren.”

The connection ended before Eren could even open his mouth. He sighed, shutting off his phone altogether before tossing it into his bag. Levi welcomed him back into his arms when Eren came. “Job trouble?”

He gave another sigh. “You could say that again. I never even really wanted this job. It was just a way to get answers. I think I’ve just ended up with even more in the end.”

“You can’t quit?”

“I could but… I don’t want to give it to someone else. I already worked so hard and if I stop I’ll have to start all over again from scratch. I don’t even know if I’d be able to find answers without the help.”

Levi rubbed his back, letting out a soft hum. “That sounds frustrating. Is it anything I can help with?”

“I don’t think so,” Eren gave a tired smile. “This is helping though.”

“I’ll keep doing it then,” he said, giving Eren a light squeeze. “for as long as you need.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if anybody is curious/interested I made a playlist for this fic a while back and it can be found [here](https://open.spotify.com/user/2253g7u6fukyee5clgvre766i/playlist/0mR3bb66EHublnwLBi4WwE)
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	10. We Meet Again

“Are you ever going to tell us what you’re doing on that job of yours?” Jean asked, splayed out on one of the many couches littering the room. His fingers twirled, swirling a tiny tornado above his head.

“I don’t know that I want your opinion on it,” Eren teased. “You might mess the entire thing up with your stupid. You could tell me what the weather will be like today instead, Mr. Weatherman.”

Jean snorted. “Go choke.”

“I’ll get right on that.”

“Seriously though, you look like hell. At least give me some idea of what’s going on. Maybe we can help.”

“That’s just your way of saying you’ll blab to the others the minute you find out.”

“Jaeger,” he groaned. “come on.”

Eren sighed. He would be lying if he said he hadn't already been weighing the pros and cons of telling his new friends about his job. “Fine, I guess I could use someone to talk to. This job has been stressful as fuck. You ever heard of Levi Ackermann?”

Jean sat upright, tornado breaking apart above his head. “The ghost story? Who hasn’t.”

“I’m looking into his possible connection with The Storm. I have zero leads though so I’ve mostly just been chasing The Storm around and taking his picture.”

“Seriously? No wonder you look so tired.”  

"He has a sporadic schedule, that’s for sure.” Eren rolled onto his side, staring out the window at the setting sun. “Erwin is pushing me to get more active. He wants me to start trying to record things on top of taking pictures.”

“You’re really set against being a hero, huh?” Jean looked over at him, looking confused. “I just don’t get it. Don’t you want to use your powers instead of contain them?”

“My dream isn’t to save the world, Jean.” Eren shook his head, giving a soft sigh. “Call me selfish but I know what I want out of life and it isn’t this. I just want to take pictures. Let someone else get all the glory.”

“What if you don’t have a choice? You’re telling me if something or someone you loved was in danger that you wouldn’t act?”

He frowned, not liking the possibility. “I’d fight with everything I had if I had to. But there’s nothing at stake right now. The Storm isn’t a threat, the most he’s done is beat up a few people and steal some money. Personally I think Erwin is blowing things way out of proportion but he seems to have some sort of vendetta against him.”

“There’s a lot of theories about that,” Jean admitted. “some people think they know each other personally. Erwin used to work in the field a while back.”

“The Storm surfaced after Erwin took a desk job,” Eren agreed. “but without any evidence this is all just a guessing game. I don’t even know what I’m looking for anymore. It wasn’t really clear to begin with and now I’m even more confused.”

“Between you and me I think Erwin wants you on the field pretty badly. I’ve heard some talk around HQ.” He met Eren’s surprised eyes, voice quiet in the otherwise empty room. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s slowly working you up to it. Erwin is known for getting what he wants. That’s why he’s one of the bosses.”

Something twisted in Eren’s stomach. It took a second to realize it was dread. “What if he doesn’t take no for an answer?”

Jean hesitated, looking as if he wasn’t sure that he should say what he was about to say. “Then I’d say run,” he finally murmured. “run as fast and as far as you can because if I know Erwin he’ll chase you down.”

Somehow that didn’t make him feel better in the slightest.

Eren couldn’t stay at the complex after Jean’s words. He felt on edge, as if Erwin could be lurking around every corner. He wanted to be as close to home as he could get and that was in the city, as in his element as he could get considering everything was a set up by Titan.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Levi remarked, closing the door to his mailbox. “Are you okay?”

Eren didn’t say anything. He walked up to Levi, wrapping his arms tightly around his boyfriend to bury his face in his neck. “Something happened at work,” he said in a small voice. “my boss wants me to do something and I’m starting to think he’ll do anything to get it.”

Arms wrapped around his waist just as tightly as Eren’s. “You think you’re in danger?”

He let out a helpless laugh. “Would you believe me if I said that I’m part of the danger of this situation?”

“Eren…” Levi pulled back somewhat to meet his eyes. “I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”

“I know,” Eren whispered. “I’ll tell you soon, I promise. It’s just… it’s dangerous right now. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

He looked reluctant to let it go. “If something happens… call me. I don’t care what time it is; I don’t care if you’re half way across the world or in the fucking sewers. Call me and I’ll be there. I promise.”

Eren felt some of his fear settle under the ferocity in his boyfriend’s gaze. “Alright,” he whispered. “I promise too.”

Levi convinced him to stay the night after that—not that he had to try very hard. Eren was shaken under all the stress coming to the city had caused and he half regretted searching for answers. Half because without it he would have never met Levi or his new friends.

Levi made him feel safe among all the uncertainty and the shifter found himself spending time with him more often than not. Of course, there were still secrets between them. Eren had yet to find out what mystery laid under all of his boyfriend’s bandages and Levi had yet to know about Eren’s true job. Still, they were getting there.

He told Armin the most he could without any danger of revealing too much to any potential unwanted listeners. His old friend was the only one he could turn to about his relationship and job. Jean was becoming a confident as well but Eren hadn’t had the courage to tell the others about Levi. Something inside of him wanted to keep the man to himself for a little longer. Call it new instincts or something else entirely, the shifter was biding his time.

Of course, it occurred to him late one night that Levi had yet to introduce Eren to any of his friends which brought up a whole other dilemma. Did the man even _have_ friends? He’d never really talked about anyone before and no one stopped by to visit that Eren saw. It was puzzling when he knew just how kind Levi could be. He found the thought of him being friendless an impossibility. There was no way no one before him had seen how great his boyfriend was. No way in hell.

So why hadn’t he crossed paths with anyone?

* * *

The equipment Erwin had told him was coming arrived outside his door in a box. It looked perfectly normal, as if something as mundane as a new camera lens or an extra USB could be inside. If only. Eren grimaced at the contents, examining each piece. There were instruction booklets inside and it was through them that he deduced that he had ten of the same thing. Backups, he assumed.

The devices were small, barely bigger than a quarter. Eren found himself doubting their capabilities but he guessed he’d just have to trust an agency built off of this type of stuff. He took the time to read carefully through the instructions, plugging several of them in to charge for a few test runs. It seemed fairly simple. All he had to do was plant one in range of Storm’s voice after pressing the record button. A simple retrieval and he should be able to access the recording on his computer.

It was one of those things that sounded easy in theory but was excruciating in reality.

How the hell was he going to get close enough to the villain without him noticing? Usually Storm was too fast and Eren only ever made it to the scene a few minutes before he disappeared. What exactly did Erwin expect from him without the ability to fly or predict the future?

It didn’t help that both his friends and Levi were getting more and more worried and suspicious—and that wasn’t even taking into account Armin. Eren couldn’t risk telling him anything in detail for fear of Erwin listening in on his calls. He didn’t put it past the man after all that he’d heard.

In the end Eren decided on a map. There was no way he’d have any chance of getting more than tiny snippets of conversation without thinking ahead. He pulled up the history of all the leads he’d followed, marking them off with a sharpie. There were a lot more than he’d initially thought and Eren took a minute to blink down at the numerous amount of dots. There was a small cluster in one area and he grimaced when he realized it was the same place where he had taken Storm’s picture. Somehow he doubted the villain would let him off with another explanation of wanting to capture his beauty.

Still, he had little choice.

The following night Eren headed back into the more danger ridden parts of the city. He didn’t want to risk being seen in daylight and he could shift his eyes to see in the dark. He brought several devices with him, safe in his jacket pocket. They could record for up to 24 hours so worst came to worst he could drop them in places of traffic and see what happened.

Despite his promise to Levi to tell him when he needed help he didn’t tell the man where he was going. He couldn’t. He didn’t want to involve Levi in it. It was bad enough that he could be injured or worse, he didn’t need the worry of the other man’s life looming over him as well, no matter how comforting having Levi around would have been.  

Eren sighed. His eyes glowed faintly as he scanned the streets, looking for any other inhabitants. He’d come early to hopefully avoid traffic. He didn’t want to have to shift to defend himself. The last thing Eren needed was word getting around that he could shift. Least of all to The Storm.

The docks lined the furthest edge of the city. That would be the most dangerous, Eren knew. He wasn’t sure what time was the best to go searching but either way he figured there would be a threat anyways. He decided to go there last, if only for his own peace of mind.

The shifter stopped in the alley that he’d taken Storm’s picture, almost hoping that he’d see the man’s silhouette in the shadows. Of course there was nothing there and Eren sighed in disappointment. He wedged one of the devices behind a dumpster on the off chance that the villain frequented the place. He doubted it but at least Erwin couldn’t bitch about him not taking the job seriously.

Next was a small park next to a line of beaten down houses. It upped the creep factor with its dying trees and barren playground. Eren shuddered at the play of shadows, the creak of rusty chains sending goosebumps down his arms. The Storm had met with someone here a few weeks ago and several other sightings had had him near the scene. Eren guessed it was a pretty villain-esque type of place. Not that he thought there was really a code for that sort of thing.

He took a few pictures of the rusted swing set, unable to resist. He was half afraid that a ghost would pop up at any moment and peered at the previews of the pictures on his screen with no small amount of dread. He didn’t even like scary stories and yet somehow every passing comment and movie preview he’d ever seen flashed through his head in that moment. He was working himself up to head towards the docks when a voice came from behind him, causing a startled scream to break free from his mouth.

“Why is it that you pick the stupidest of places to take pictures? Do you have a death wish?”

Eren’s ears were still ringing with the unholy sound he’d made, half on his back from where he’d fallen in panic. “Holy shit,” he gasped, a hand over his heart. He could feel his pulse in his throat. “Don’t do that!”

Leather clad arms crossed and two glowing eyes stared down at him, unimpressed. “You didn’t answer the question.”

Eren straightened somewhat, legs shaking when he tried to stand up. It was then that he realized smoke had crept in around them, blocking out everything but the circle they were standing in the middle of. “I—“ he shook his head in disbelief, still getting over the scare. “What was it again?”      

Storm sighed, wings shifting behind him. “I said, do you have a death wish?”

“What? Of course not!” Eren made a face, letting his hand fall from his chest. “My goal is the opposite actually. I have a life wish.”  

A snort came from the villain. “And yet I keep finding you in places like this.”

“I just like the unusual,” Eren huffed. It wasn’t technically a lie. “it’s not like there’s an abandoned playground in the center of the city.”

“So your goal wasn’t chasing after a villain for a picture?” His head tilted to the side. “I’m impressed.”

Green eyes rolled. “You’re kind of an asshole, you know that?”

“Sorry, did you want me to go?” The villain turned, wings flaring as if to take to the sky. “It’s not like I just saved you for the third time or anything. Did you really think I just created a concealment for fun?”

Eren shot him a strange look. “What do you mean you saved me?”

“There are gangs around here,” he sighed deeply, gesturing to one of the trees nearest to them. The shifter squinted at it, making out a symbol he hadn’t noticed before. “you’re on their turf. You were five minutes away from being knifed.”

“Oh,” he said dumbly. Of course, he would have heard them coming but he couldn’t tell the villain that. “Thank you, then. Again.”

“Just get out of here,” Storm dismissed. “I’ll have my magic take you out again—“

“Wait!” Eren called desperately. The villain paused, looking back at him. “Do you… are you supposed to be somewhere?”

Storm gave him an odd look. There was something off with his face that made the shifter’s eyes hurt. His features blurred and shifted when Eren tried to make them out. He assumed it was magic. “Why do you care?”

“I just thought that maybe, you know, since I’m here and you’re here that we could hang out…?” Eren trailed off, feeling progressively stupid the longer he went on without interruption.

“Hang out,” he said flatly.

He bit his lip, staring down at the ground. “Yes?”

“…in a playground I just told you was part of a gang territory.”

Well when he put it like that it _was_ rather stupid. Eren sighed. “You just said that we’re safe here and it’s not like we can hang out in the middle of the city, right? People would see you.” He walked over to one of two swings. The chains creaked when he sat down and Eren looked over at the villain hopefully. “Please?”

“You’re a strange kid,” came the quiet answer. It wasn’t a no. Slowly, the other man came closer. It took a bit of maneuvering for him to sit down comfortably with his wings but he managed. His feet barely touched the ground from the seat and Eren had to fight a smile.

“Thank you,” the shifter told him, swaying slowly in his own seat. “I’m glad you stayed.”

“Well I couldn’t just leave you here, now could I?” The villain grumbled. “You’d just get yourself into trouble.”

“You’re not really like most villains are you?” Eren said to the ground. The words were not disappointed. “They wouldn’t help a civilian.”

“Stereotyping,” he said dryly. “how fun.”

The shifter’s head jerked upright. He looked over at the other man with an apology on his lips only to see a faint smile on his face. “I just haven’t exactly been around villains before this, that’s all. I thought you’d be—different.”

“Murderous?” Storm suggested. “Cruel? Heartless? Insane?”

Eren bit his lip. “I guess.”

“Heart’s still there, sorry to disappoint. Sanity might be a bit questionable.”

He laughed softly. “Whose isn’t?”

“Touché,” came the amused response. His wings spread, giving him a small push. The metal above them groaned in protest but held steady. “Who are you anyways?”

“Oh,” Eren said, realizing they’d never actually been introduced. “I’m Eren. I’m a photographer—or well, I’m a student.”

“You take pictures right?”

He nodded. “That’s right.”

“Then you’re a photographer,” Storm said simply. “Don’t sell yourself short. How did the picture you took of me turn out anyways?”

Eren’s eyes lit up and he dug his toes into the sand below them, bringing himself to a halt. “It’s amazing!” He fished his phone out of his pocket, typing in his code quickly before bringing up the saved picture. “Here it is.”

Gloved hands took the phone, bringing it up to his face for a few long moments. “Not bad,” he finally admitted. “I’m impressed that you got that in just one shot.”

“Just imagine what I could do with more,” Eren couldn’t help but add.

The villain shot him an amused look as he handed the phone back over. “Nice try, kid, but that’s all you’re gonna get. I have a secret identity for a reason. Besides, it’s not like you can show them to anyone without being questioned.”

He sighed, shoving the electronic back into his pocket. “I know. I wish I could, it really is an amazing photo.”

“All the more reason why you should stick to taking pictures of things that won’t get you killed.” Wings pushed him higher with a hard flap. Apparently he wasn’t concerned by the squealing it elicited from the metal chains—then again he had healing powers and could fly. He guessed Storm didn’t really have a need for much worry.  

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren waved him off. “if I needed a father I’d go see his grave.”

Storm looked over at him, hair cutting across his face with each sway of the swing. “Parents are dead, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said again. “What about you?”

He snorted. “Do you think I’d be doing this if I had a loving family?”

Eren thought about that. “I don’t know. Lots of people do stupid things even with a great family. I don’t think it really makes a difference.”

“I don’t have a family,” Storm told him. “Typical tragic backstory for me.”

“So how did your wings come in then?” It was a question that he’d been wondering for a while. “Was it natural?”

“I guess so. All I remember is waking up one day to feel them starting to grow in. It was sort of like a tooth. It aches and hurts as it pokes through the skin but after that it’s okay.”

“Strange,” Eren murmured. “but cool.”

“Thanks,” he said dryly. “you gonna tell me about how it’s always been your dream to fly?”

The shifter’s eyebrows raised. “I wasn’t planning on it. I think I’d rather be something like a wolf.” Ironically, it wasn’t a lie. He’d always favored werewolves before his accident.

“They aren’t bad, I guess. Lots of fur though.”

“Is that bad?”

“No, it’s just—shedding. There’d be a lot of it.”

Eren let out a soft huff of amusement. “Well wolves aren’t really pets. I don’t see why they’d be indoors.”

“I suppose you’re right.” He came to a stop, looking over at him. “You should go now, though. I can take you back.”

The shifter sighed, shoulders slumping. “Yeah, I know.” He stood reluctantly, not wanting to leave. “Thanks for hanging around. You’re nice to talk to.”

A hand reached up to ruffle his hair and again Eren found his head aching as he tried to see anything other than blue eyes. “Don’t mention it. Just stay out of trouble, alright Eren? For real this time. You’re going to end up getting yourself killed if you keep it up.”

He gave a small smile. “I will.”

Of course he lied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you've all been wondering when The Storm was coming back. Hopefully he didn't disappoint ;)
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	11. Crossfire

The devices he picked back up after his meeting with The Storm held no evidence. The one that had been in his pocket, however, had heard all of their playground conversation. Eren stared the piece of metal down as he sat on his bed, stuck on what to do. Someone else would have turned it over to Erwin right away but what was the point? There wasn’t anything all that helpful on it. All Storm had told him was that he was an orphan and far from the stereotypical villain. All facts that Eren knew wouldn’t matter to Erwin in the end. Nothing could seem to convince the man to leave the villain alone—if he could even be called that.

The Storm had helped him. Over and over and over again. He’d had every opportunity to leave Eren to die—or to even finish him himself. Yet, here Eren sat, a shard of the man’s past in his hand. He could betray the villain’s trust and kindness, but for what? Some money? A praise?

Eren frowned. He didn’t want to let Erwin have this. Not to mention the fact that it would be obvious they had met before. He was protecting himself really—or that was what Eren told himself. He ground the metal to dust, dumping it down the drain when he was sure nothing substantial remained of the device. Even if someone pulled each and every spec from the sewers there would be nothing to find. The evidence was gone from existence and Eren slept a little better for it.

In the following days Erwin sent him after more sightings in an effort to get some recordings. It was nearly impossible without knowing the crime scene ahead of time. Every device Eren rolled into the smoke emerged smashed to bits which meant Storm was probably far ahead of him. He was glad really. He didn’t want to bring down the villain, he just wanted to know him.

He didn’t get to spend much time with Levi in between all his running around. He told the man that he had a high work load and would visit when he could. Even if it was just to fall into bed to sleep next to one another before parting ways, it was comforting. Eren just felt bad for Levi having to keep his bandages on at night.

When the end of the week came around Erwin had him off on another lead instead of back at the hero compound. The shifter had had to explain to his friends that he wouldn’t be showing up for their usual practice and he was just as disappointed as they appeared to be. He was growing to enjoy sparring with the others and hearing stories of their adventures. It felt nice to be among people like him. He could understand why they didn’t want to leave.

Still, though Eren didn’t want the pressure of the world on his shoulders, Erwin seemed trying very hard to put it there.    

His next run had him on the edge of the city, close to where he’d bumped into The Storm. Storm's previous gang warning made him wary but Erwin hadn’t mentioned anything concerning.

He was beginning to learn that even the simplest of things couldn’t be trusted to the man.

 _They weren’t supposed to have guns_ , Eren panicked, taking cover behind a large metal table when rounding the corner of the street set off a line of fire. Bullets hit the window above him, raining glass down onto his crouched form. Eren covered his head with his arms, feeling cuts break open under the shower of sharp objects. It occurred to him that maybe this was Erwin’s way of forcing his powers into play. Eren didn’t have a vest to protect him from any incoming fire. However, he could shift and use his electricity to block some of the bullets—or better yet, to stop the owners of the guns. But that would mean showing the public his powers. The Storm might even see it too.

Eren felt his blood run cold. Was that Erwin’s goal? Was he trying to get Eren in close so that he could fight the villain? He refused. The Storm had done nothing but help him, he had no quarrel with the man, criminal or not.

“I think I saw something over there,” a voice called, causing Eren to flinch. It was far too close for comfort.

“Check the perimeter, he should be here soon.”

Footsteps drew closer, passing by Eren. It was only a matter of time before they found him which meant one thing: he had to run. Shaking fingers fished his phone out of his pocket, opening it up to hit speed dial. _Call whenever you need help,_ Erwin had said. Except Eren wasn’t calling Erwin.

“Levi,” Eren said shakily, before the man could even say a word. He hadn’t thought he’d need to take up his boyfriend on his offer so soon. It’d been almost two weeks since his scared confession and things only seemed to be looking down the further along they went. He sniffled, aware that he might not live past today. “I need help.”

“Where are you?”

“The strip of shops outside of Sina.” He wiped tears from his eyes. “There’s men with guns and I don’t—I don’t know if I’ll make the run to safety.”

There was the sound of something rhythmic in the background paired with static. “I’m coming,” Levi said. “Keep your head down and be safe. I’m going to get you out of there.”

The sound of footsteps alerted the shifter to the fact that whoever was casing the place had grown close to his hiding spot. Staying where he was would be a death sentence for sure. “I have to go,” he whispered. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Eren, wait—!”

His phone was shoved into his pocket with shaking fingers. The footsteps were growing closer and he didn’t have time to think. He barely had time to breathe.

A rain of bullets hit the building to Eren’s right as he bolted for safety. His body was strung tight with the urge to shift but he couldn’t let it happen. There were criminals around, civilians too. The Storm was supposedly coming as well. He couldn’t give Erwin what he wanted or the fight would be lost.

 _Is your life really worth a victory?_ the voice in his head whispered. Eren didn’t get a chance to respond.

Pain lit up his left side, sending him to his knees. He grit his teeth, forcing himself up and around the corner of the alley. He was staggering more than running at this point, a hand braced against the wall as blood stained his side. As if hearing his prayers fog began to descend on the street, cutting off the sight of the criminals chasing him. Eren let out a sob of relief, pausing now that he was safe. He knew enough to know running with a gunshot wound wasn’t a good idea. He had to stop the blood flow but most of all he was worried about his skin healing around any bullets inside of him.

Eren curled up behind a dumpster, hands pressed to his side and calf. He didn’t know how many times he’d been shot but he hurt all over. His vision began to fade in and out and he distantly hoped that he hadn’t called Levi to help only to scar the man with his death.

The sound of footsteps registered somewhat slowly before someone was falling to their knees beside him. A hand pressed to his bloodstained one, applying new pressure to the wound. A wave of cool relief washed away some of his pain and some distant part of Eren recognized the feeling.

“Levi?” He croaked, head rolling as he was pulled up, into someone’s arms.

“Shh,” someone murmured. He caught a glimpse of glowing blue before Eren fell into darkness.

* * *

Eren groaned as he came to. His eyes felt crusted over and his mouth was as dry as the desert but he was alive. He stared up at a foreign ceiling in incomprehension for a few long moments, trying to fill in the missing pieces of his memory. Eventually he managed to move his head to the side, only to see Levi asleep next to him.

“Levi,” Eren tried to say, only to break out into a series of coughs. His body _hurt_ but he was starting to realize that he wasn’t feeling nearly enough pain for someone that had been shot at least twice.

The other man’s eye flew open at the sound. “Eren,” Levi said, voice thick with relief. He laid a soothing hand against his cheek, the other pressing a bottle of water to his lips. “easy. Just drink.”

Eren gulped the liquid down as soon as he registered what was happening. Levi had to ease him back a few times to make sure he didn’t choke or get sick. When he pulled the bottle away Eren gave a protesting sound, but found that he could talk once again. “Levi…” he pressed a hand to his side, feeling the thick padding of bandages. His eyes filled with tears against his will, remembering the realization that he was going to die. “How…?”

“I carried you here,” Levi told him, brushing the hair out of Eren’s face. His thumb caught a tear before it could fall. “I got the bullets out and patched you up. I was trained in medicine once.”

He absorbed this new information. “I thought I was going to die,” he whispered. “I thought that I’d never see you again.”

“You’re safe.” Levi pressed a kiss to his forehead, so gentle that it almost hurt. “I won’t let anything happen to you here. What were you even _doing_ there, Eren? You could have actually gotten yourself killed.”

Eren sniffled, nuzzling hard into his boyfriend’s hand. “It was a part of my job. I was taking pictures and then… I didn’t know they had guns and then they just started shooting! I’m supposed to know things like that before going in!”

He hushed him, wiping away more of his tears. “You’re supposed to take pictures of crime scenes?”

“Something like that,” Eren admitted. It wasn’t far from the truth, he guessed.

"That’s a dangerous job.”

He laughed shakily, pressing a hand to his side. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”

Levi sighed, letting it go for now. “I’m just glad I got to you in time. If I had been any later… you need to be careful. At least tell someone where you’re going when you go chasing after criminals. If not me, then someone you trust.”

“I’ll try,” Eren said sincerely. He touched a hand to the other man’s cheek, eyes soft as he looked up at him. “Thank you, Levi, really. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

Levi leaned down to press a soft kiss to his mouth. “ _I_ know and I’d rather not think about it. Get some rest. You’re safe here and you’re on strict bedrest again until you heal.”

“Yes, sir,” he joked, giving a mock salute. The kiss he got was worth the pain of jostling his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it was only a matter of time before Eren got hurt
> 
> Can you guess what's coming next? ;)


	12. The Secret's Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sure it's pretty obvious what's about to happen

The challenge that came with Levi knowing he’d been shot, was the fact that Eren was healing at an accelerated rate. Without telling his boyfriend what had happened to him all those months ago, Eren didn’t have an explanation. Not one that Levi would actually believe, anyways. He didn’t want to involve the other man more than he already had, especially if Erwin really was trying to manipulate him.

“You’re not supposed to be up yet,” Levi sighed, the sound one of someone who’d long since learned that Eren was a terrible patient.

“I just wanted to stretch my legs some.” He pouted, tossing his boyfriend a pleading glance. “My ass was going numb sitting in your bed all day.”

“In that case you should have called me, I could have brought it back to life.”

Eren let out a startled laugh. Levi was always so serious; it still took him by surprise whenever he joked around. “That’s sweet. I’ll call you in next time so you can work your magic.”

“It’s a deal, Jaeger.” Levi wrapped an arm around him, leading him in the direction of the couch. “At least sit down for a bit. You shouldn’t be straining yourself. I need to check your bandages to make sure you didn’t rip open your stitches.”

“No!” Eren said, louder than he’d intended. He grimaced, hiding his side behind folded arms. “I can do it myself.”

He hesitated. “Eren… you won’t be able to reach the wound.”

“I can do it,” he insisted. “Really, you don’t have to worry about it. It’s fine.”

Levi didn’t look convinced. “If this is about your scars, I already saw them. I had to take your clothes off in order to treat your wounds. I’m sorry for invading your privacy but I couldn’t let you die.”

Eren couldn’t keep up his pretend act of defiance. Not at that admission. He deflated, letting out a long sigh. “It’s not that I don’t want you to see. They’re just scars and I know you wouldn’t judge. It’s just…” his arms fell away. Could he really tell Levi everything? It could mean putting him in the line of fire—but then again he’d already done that. Quite literally too. “you’ll see for yourself, I guess. Go ahead.”

Levi stared at him for a few long moments, eye flickering from his face to his side and back. “Alright,” he finally said, sitting down on the coffee table. His hands were gentle as they unbuttoned the shirt he’d given Eren, sliding it off of tanned shoulders.

Eren was still as the bandages were removed, keeping his gaze fixed on his knees. The silence that followed when Levi brushed fingers over what had been a bloody wound the day before, was thick enough to cut with a knife. The bandages on his leg came next, only to reveal the same results.

“Eren,” he said slowly. “there should be two wounds here at least. Why are they gone?”

Eren chewed on his bottom lip, fidgeting nervously. “Would you believe me if I said I was bitten by a radioactive wolf?”

“Like Spiderman?”

Eren’s eyes closed as if he was in pain. “Yes,” he groaned. “like Spiderman.”

Levi touched a hand to the scar on his shoulder. “These are teeth marks,” he realized. His hands ran over the path of destruction. It hurt a lot less when Levi did it.

“A lot more violent than a spider,” Eren agreed. His hand caught one of Levi’s, holding it to his chest. “it gave me accelerated healing among other things.”

“Other things?” He echoed, a look of disbelief painted over what parts of his face Eren could see.

“Yeah, I can sort of control electricity and see in the dark. My eyes do this weird glowing thing.” He waved his hands around in an effort to display the spookiness of it. He was pretty sure he failed. Instead of looking scared, Levi just looked amused. “I can also become a wolf. That’s probably the coolest.”

“A wolf,” Levi repeated again. He shook his head, running a hand through Eren’s hair. The look he gave him was distinctly fond. “You’re something else, aren’t you?”

He blushed, looking away from his boyfriend’s gaze. He didn’t know how to handle so much tenderness being thrown his way. “You’re not mad?”

“Mad?” Levi shook his head again. He let out a disbelieving laugh. “No, Eren, I’m not mad. Surprised? Yes. But not mad.” He rested his forehead against Eren’s, a smile curving his mouth. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you’re amazing.”

The pain in Eren’s chest was a sweet one, and one that he relished. “I could say the same to you. Does this mean you’ll tell me about your scars too?”

The hesitation was clear on his face. “It’s not a pretty story. You might not like the things you hear.”

“You say that as if anyone ever enjoys hearing that someone they care about was hurt.” Eren took Levi’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “After what you just heard how can you possibly imagine that what you have to say would send me running?”

His shoulders slumped. It didn’t take a genius to see that Levi was a broken man in that moment. He looked vulnerable, enough so that Eren was almost afraid of even breathing, for fear that he would break. “Please?” Eren implored. “I won’t run. I promise.”

“Alright,” he finally said. “I’ll show you.”

Eren released his hand reluctantly, letting the other man pull away to stand. It occurred to him that there were many reasons to be excited by the fact that Levi was taking his shirt off, and that seeing his scars was only one of them. He couldn’t help the flush that colored his cheeks at the thought. Thankfully, Levi hadn’t seemed to have noticed.

“You might feel betrayed when you realize what I am,” he began, starting with the bandages wrapped around his face. Eren watched with wide eyes as they fell away, revealing the start of burn marks. Angry red scars licked up Levi’s jaw, reminiscent of the flames they’d come from. The worst of it was concentrated around the eye he kept hidden. It took Eren a second to realize what was so off about it. The whites of Levi’s left eye no longer existed. Red swam with the blue of his iris, creating a rather gruesome sight. “You have to understand that I didn’t lie to you on purpose. At first I thought you were a threat and nothing more. I looked into you after I saw the address on your phone,”—this time the bandages around his hands were pulled off, revealing the same angry scars—“I knew what the name under your lease meant. I thought you were a threat. It wasn’t until later that I began to realize you had no intention to be seen as such.” The last of the bandages resided on the bulk of his torso and shoulders. Eren opened his mouth to offer his assistance only to fall silent in shock as something shifted and bulged behind Levi’s back. Pale fingers clawed at the bandages like they were a curse. Eren understood why when the mass of feathers and flesh pushed free of their bindings.

“You…” His hands lifted to his mouth in shock, shaken by the realization. “You’re him. The—”

“Storm,” Levi finished. He made a face. “That’s a terrible name but they all are, I guess. Could have been worse.” His wings curled over his shoulders, that vulnerable expression returning to his face. “This is the full story. I hope you’re not disappointed.”

Eren let out a disbelieving laugh. “ _Disappointed?_ You—you saved me over and over again. I was chasing you and all this time—did you even really want to be with me?”

Levi looked crushed. He fell to his knees before Eren, taking his hands in his own. “Eren, no. I never lied to you about my intentions. When I found out that you weren’t a threat, it was true that I liked you. I never thought you would want the same thing as me but, somehow, here we are.” He was silent for a few long moments, as if debating a terrible truth. “I know about your real purpose here. The day I checked your pipes I snuck into your room and saw the wall. You’re looking for information on Levi Ackermann, right?”

Eren gave a hesitant nod.

“Do you want to meet him?”

It took Eren all of ten seconds to finally speak. “What do you mean meet him? All the reports say that he’s dead. I—” It hit him then, as he was staring at Levi’s patient expression, just how foolish he’d been. He’d thought the name was a coincidence and nothing more.

Eyes traced the burns marring Levi’s otherwise soft skin, making the truth abundantly clear. It wasn’t a coincidence at all. He touched a hand to the man’s burned cheek. “it’s you isn’t it? You’re Levi Ackermann.”

Levi gave a sweet smile. “Nice to meet you,” he murmured. His fingers curled over Eren’s as he leaned into his palm. “You never did ask for my full name.”

He shook his head not for the first time that night. “I’m an idiot, aren’t I? Anyone else would have figured it out—you even teased me about ghosts!”

“I heard about the salt,” Levi laughed. “You really confused Historia over that one.”

“Historia?”

 “The woman you met at my old building. She’s a contact of mine. She keeps an eye on who’s digging around for information.”

“So you know about Erwin then,” Eren realized. “Do you know why he's after you?”

Levi’s face hardened. Something dangerous flashed through mismatched eyes, something that he had never seen on his face before. “I know all about that bastard. He’s the reason I even ended up like this.”

Eren squeezed the hand on his knee. “Tragic backstory?” He guessed.

The sharpness eased out of Levi’s expression. He let out an amused exhale. “Tragic backstory,” he agreed. Levi straightened, moving to sit beside Eren instead of on the floor. Now that they were out, his wings gravitated towards the other man, wrapping around them both.

“Wow,” Eren breathed, hesitating with a hand above the feathers blanketing his lap. Now that he was close and unhindered by smoke or the darkness, he could see that Levi’s wings weren’t actually all black. Shades of grey dotted the underside of the appendages while white splashed the very tips of his feathers. “Is it okay if I touch them?”

His wing rose at the words, pressing firmly into the digits. “They haven’t been touched by anyone other than me in a long time.” Levi pressed a kiss to the side of his head. “Do whatever you want.”

“Are you going to tell me the rest of the story if I do?”

“I was going to tell you the story before you even asked,” he chuckled. “Erwin was my partner in the field. We were friends. I thought he had my back up until the day he didn’t. He was offered a job from the higher ups with some pretty hefty motivation to retire from the line of fire and take a desk job instead. I still don’t know what they had on him but I called bullshit on the whole thing. I told him that we could fight it—that I would help him do it. I was waiting for him in my apartment so that we could go over the plans when the fire started. You probably don’t know this since all of Erwin’s past is kept under wraps, but I think you can guess one of his powers.”

Eren felt dread rising in his chest. “Fire?” he guessed.

“Fire,” Levi said grimly. “unlike any other flame before. It ate through one of my walls in seconds. We worked together for _six years_ , Eren, I could tell his signature apart from others with my eyes closed. I jumped out of the window before the whole place went up in flames. In all the chaos I managed to put out what parts of me were on fire before flying away to nurse my wounds. It was touch and go for a while, but thankfully I know some pretty good doctors. It wasn’t hard to plant my DNA on one of the corpses after that. They were burned to bits; no one was going to know.”

“And the drowning?”

Levi’s eyes darkened. “Files can be altered. That was a little tribute to our past. Fucker tried to drown me the day we met.”

Eren’s eyes were wide with the truth. His fingers curled into ink black feathers, trying to offer some form of comfort. “He really was the reason…” At Levi’s questioning look Eren elaborated. “I lined the dates up with Erwin’s promotion, ‘your death’ and your new identity. They all seemed pretty suspicious to me. Especially after I found out he kept visiting the building.”

“Smart boy.” Levi ruffled his hair affectionately. “I started a new life after he betrayed me. I left the hero world behind me and took to the greyer areas of life. I’d always hated following the rules, anyways. I had no choice after he practically erased me from existence.”

“You really are a vigilante,” he realized. “Erwin mentioned it before during one of our info sessions.”

“I guess you could say that.” He shrugged. “I just keep the criminal world in line. With a few perks along the way, of course.” Eren laughed, shoving at the other male’s shoulders when he gave him a pointed look.

“I knew you weren’t bad, not the way Erwin thinks, anyways. I told him it was a waste of resources to chase after someone who wasn’t intentionally hurting people. There are other criminals out there taking lives this very instant that they should be focusing on.”

“You told him that?” Levi gave him a surprised look. It was tinged with pride. “What did he say?”

“He told me he could pull me from the case if I was compromised. I lied and told him I wasn’t.” Eren gave a shrug of his own. “I still had answers I wanted. I wasn’t about to let someone else take over and fuck things up.”

“He was manipulating you by using me, though.” He shook his head, wings huddling Eren closer. The action was distinctively protective, as if he could keep Eren safe with that alone. “Whenever you talked about your job I wished so many times that I could tell you that I knew, that you could tell me everything. Hell, when you talked to the bastard on the phone I was ready to rip him to shreds for trying to force you into the field. I tried to keep you safe whenever you chased after me, but not all of the leads you followed were true. That’s why I wasn’t there when you were shot. If I had been it would have never happened.”

“It’s kind of a good thing in the end,” Eren mused, resting his head against Levi’s shoulder. It made sense now, why he’d felt so safe around both Levi and The Storm. They were one in the same. “it got us both to tell the truth. There’s still one issue though.”

Levi frowned, pulling back slightly to stare down at him. “What?”

His lips twitched. “I know nothing about keeping a pet bird.”

The other man gave an indignant squawk, wings flapping in protest. Eren burst into peals of laughter, unable to help it. Levi’s flushed face was just too cute. Eventually, Eren got himself back under control, laughter fading to panting breaths. A wave of seriousness came with the composure. “All jokes aside though, Erwin is a problem.”

Levi jaw set in a grim expression. “I know. I have a plan for that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all of your earlier guesses made me smile, I hope the reveal was what you hoped it to be! 
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	13. Trust and Teamwork

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the last chapter came out like two days ago but this was one of my absolute favorites and I just couldn't resist putting it up so soon after. It's also the longest, so far. 
> 
> Thank you to everyone that's commented, you all make me smile and I appreciate you all so much <3

Levi’s plan, as it turned out, was fairly simple. _Act normal,_ he was instructed. _Keep doing your job and collect intel on Titan while Titan thinks you’re collecting information on The Storm. Don’t endanger yourself to do so. Don’t take unnecessary risks._

Easy enough.

Then again, since when was Eren’s life ever easy? The days of college and planning out places to take photos seemed so far away. Still, he didn’t know if he regretted it. Not when it meant he’d met Levi. He supposed the others weren’t so bad either, in the end.

“How’s the job?” Jean asked during one of his weekend visits, taking in Eren’s upbeat demeanor. It was a stark contrast to the sulky expression he’d worn the last few times.

“It’s good,” Eren smiled. He pulled an apple out of his book bag, tossing it in his direction. Jean caught it with a confused look, eyebrows raised. “For you,” he explained. “Figured you’d be hungry and I know horses love apples.”

Mikasa, who’d been curled up with Annie on the soft brown couch inside Marco’s apartment, interrupted Jean’s tirade before it could even begin. “Have you been practicing the current pulses I taught you?”

Eren took a seat next to Jean on the floor. “I’ve been trying to. I think I’ve finally got the hang of the smaller ones; it’s making them bigger that I have a problem with. The further away from my body the electricity gets, the harder it is to keep it under control.”

“You knew that already though,” Mikasa reminded. “Now you just have to take that knowledge and work hard. I know you’ll be able to master it. You’re a fast learner, you just have to keep at it.”

Eren shot her a smile. “Yeah, thanks.” He was grateful to her—to all of them really. They’d all been more than willing to help him master his powers. He’d even learned some new tricks thanks to Annie. She’d showed him how a concentrated bolt could melt solid ice. With that knowledge he’d worked on getting strong enough to melt things like concrete and metal. Jean had seemed to keep his mouth shut about the Erwin problem but everyone seemed to feel an urgency all the same. Time was ticking and Eren wasn’t sure just how much he had left.  

“Pizza is almost done,” Marco told them, emerging from the kitchen in a waft of delicious scents. Jean snagged him around the waist, pulling him down into his lap.

“Can’t order pizza when you’re in a secret facility, huh?” Eren joked, pretending not to feel like the odd one out amongst the two couples. He thought longingly of Levi, wishing he could introduce his new group of friends to the man. He wondered if he would ever even get the chance.

“No,” Marco admitted, leaning back against Jean’s chest. “but I don’t mind cookin’.”

“He’s a southern stereotype sometimes,” Jean drawled. “We came here for our first date and he tried to make me explode.”

The other male flushed, covering his face in his hands. “I was trying to impress you! I didn’t think you’d try to eat all of it, I planned on there being leftovers.”

“I thought I was going to die,” he remembered with the look of a haunted man. 

“You threw up during training,” Mikasa said, distinctly amused. “I didn’t even work you that hard.”

“Really?” Eren didn’t even bother trying to hide his laughter. He looked over at the two of them. Marco looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole, blush climbing down his neck. “Somehow I can picture that perfectly.”

“Marco watched everything,” Annie added. She shared a conspiring smirk with her girlfriend. “For weeks afterwards every time he watched Jean eat he looked like he was reliving it all over again.”

“Can we change the subject to somethin’ less embarrassin’?” Marco complained, though there was a smile playing along his lips.  He shifted in Jean’s lap, fingers tanging with the ones resting on his thigh. “I want to see some of Eren’s pictures. He promised that he’d bring his copies over.”

Eren straightened as four pairs of eyes fell to him. This time he was the one left feeling embarrassed. “Yeah, I brought my flash drive.” He fished around in his book bag, fingers closing around the small stick. He was closest to the TV so he scooted over to the side. The flash drive slid easily into one of its USB ports and Eren grabbed Marco’s remote to turn on the screen. “Some of these are old so they might not be as good,” he warned them.

Marco caught the remote when Eren tossed it over, looking curious. There were around a hundred or so photos in the folder he had picked. He’d made sure that the picture he’d taken of The Storm was not among them. As proud of it as he was, he didn’t want to have to explain that. He didn’t want to risk Levi’s cover—or his.

There were few comments from the others as Marco clicked through the files. Even Jean seemed fixated and Eren felt a bit of smugness seep into his veins. He was confident in his work but it was always nice to see honest reactions like the ones before him. The folder ended on the photos he’d taken of Levi in the garden. Marco’s mouth parted in surprise—even Annie looked appreciative.

“Wow,” Marco said, when they’d come to the last photo. It was a picture of Levi smiling, flower petals caught in his hair and eye focused on the ground. “That’s in the city isn’t it?”

Eren smiled, trying not to stare too sappily at the screen. “Yeah, I made a friend. He helped me get my photo fix.”

“Eren,” Jean said, peering over his boyfriend’s shoulder to stare at him. “sometimes I want to punch you but… those are fucking sick.”

He tried not to laugh, mouth fighting a losing battle against a grin.

“Your skill is clear,” Mikasa agreed, shooting him a small smile. Annie nodded beside her. “I understand why you want to go back now. You have a gift.”

“I don’t know that it’s a gift,” Eren said bashfully. He rubbed at the back of his neck, cheeks flushing. “Just hard work. Thank you, though. I’m glad you like them.”

Marco detached himself from Jean, standing to place the remote on the coffee stand. “The pizza should be done, why don’t you guys pick somethin’ to watch? Calmly.” He pointed a finger at them in warning. “No destroyin’ my apartment. I see you, Mikasa.”

She held up her hands and stayed that way until he left the room. Jean’s eyes met her’s, filling the room with tension. Eren looked between the two in confusion. “Jean,” Mikasa said sweetly, leaning slowly towards the remote. “do you remember that move I used against you in training yesterday?”

“Yeah,” he said, copying her actions. 

Annie shook her head at them.

“Well let’s just say I’m going to do it to you again if you try to put on your stupid ass cartoons.”

“They’re funny!” Jean complained. “I don’t want to watch a crime show.”

They bolted for the remote at the same time, smashing into one another in the process. The ensuing struggle sent the remote flying underneath the TV stand and Eren scrambled upright to avoid their flailing limbs. He stared wide eyed as he pressed up against the wall. “Uh, guys….?”

“Your hair isn’t even cool, it’s just overdone!”

“Well your powers are lame! Fire and ice, how cliché is that!”

“Wet blanket—!”

“Ice queen—!”

A dark force loomed in the doorway, wielding a spatula. “ _I thought I told you there was to be no fightin’.”_

The two stiffened in their current positions. Jean with a fistful of Mikasa’s hair and Mikasa with her teeth sunk into his shoulder. Slowly, they let go.

“Marco—” Jean started.

The spatula waved threateningly. “No talkin’. You’re both in time out. Annie and Eren are pickin’ the show. Sit down and behave otherwise you’re not gettin’ any food.”

Eren had never seen the two of them look more like scolded puppies than in that moment. If Marco wasn’t so terrifying, he would have laughed. Eren snapped to attention when eyes turned to him, his own wide.

“Eren,” Marco said sweetly. “Do you know where the remote is?”

“It’s under the TV,” he stuttered. He tried not to look terrified by the other man’s sudden change in demeanor. Eren had a feeling he failed miserably.

“Good,” Marco said in that same tone. “grab it and join Annie. If the two of you do the same thing you’re all gettin’ your asses kicked. Is that understood?” He shot a stern look at them all.

Eren squeaked.

“Yes, Marco,” they chorused, some more sulky than others.

“Good,” he said, turning back to the kitchen. “I’ll be back.”

Eren scrambled to get the remote as soon as he was gone, bolting over to the open spot next to Annie like death was on his heels. She snorted, looking amused. “It happens every time.” She tugged lightly on Mikasa’s hair. “They never learn.”

“I was close this time,” Mikasa muttered.

Jean shot her a glare. “You wish.”

Annie was much more laid back about what they watched, Eren found out. He was pleasantly surprised to find that they liked a lot of the same things and in the end Wonder Woman was set to play on the screen. By the look on Jean’s face, he remembered the argument they’d had. Eren shot him a smug look.

Marco returned with several pizzas, laying them out on the coffee table. He hummed his approval at the lack of fighting, patting Jean’s head lightly on his way past. “One day you’ll learn,” he said.

Jean sighed in answer, leaning his head against his shoulder.

It was as the movie started playing that it occurred to Eren how much he would miss this if he left. He’d grown fond of the misfits around him and despite his refusal to be a hero it was nice hanging out with people just like him. They understood.

For the first time Eren found himself considering what life would be like back home. It would be hard returning to normalcy—could he even do it? What would Levi do if he left? Would he come with him or would they have to balance a long distance relationship on top of everything else?

Laughter burst to life around him, pulling Eren out of his heavy thoughts. He shared a smile with Mikasa, reaching for another slice of pizza. He guessed when the time came he would figure it out—but he wouldn’t do it alone.

Marco bumped his shoulder, giving him a questioning look. “Are you okay?” He mouthed.

Eren smiled, giving a nod. He was far from alone.

* * *

“If we’re going to do this, we’re doing it right,” Levi said as he pulled on his boots. When the zipper ended they were to his knees. They blended in with his pants which Eren had found out were a strange mix of reinforced materials—he was just going to call them leather. Levi pulled a necklace out of his jacket, holding it out to Eren. “It has a tracker inside. I’ve cloaked it with everything I can think of. If Erwin pulls something, I’ll be able to find you.”

Eren bit his lip, examining the piece of gold. It was a simple chain with a small engraved feather hanging in the middle. “You think he’ll try to kidnap me?”

“I think he’ll do whatever will get him the end result he wants,” Levi said grimly. He took the necklace back when Eren turned, doing the clasp for him. “He has people under him with all sorts of powers. If he gets you alone, you have to be careful.”

“I never liked this situation but now I’m liking it even less,” he muttered. A hand touched the feather around his neck, feeling comforted by the knowledge that Levi had thought so far ahead. Eren sat down on the desk in his boyfriend’s office, watching him flit around the room. They were working together now. Their plan was for Eren to get some very bad audio of one of The Storm’s meetings to satisfy Erwin. Levi was going to point him to a good hiding spot and then usher the criminals he was meeting with in his direction. It was risky but with his boyfriend’s ability to create a dark cloud over everything it would be hard to be found out. “Why did you stay in the city, anyways? Why not just leave?”

“Erwin was good once,” Levi said, strapping a blade to his thigh. “But he’s become corrupt. He used the excuse of manipulation to dirty his hands and now he’s looked up to as a good example—someone to be admired. In reality he’s the real criminal. If the world knew what he was capable of he’d be on the Top 10 Most Dangerous Villains list. I can’t just leave knowing what’s been done and what he’ll do in the future.”

He cracked a small smile. “You’re on that list.”

Levi shot him a playful look, tugging lightly on a strand of his hair as he darted past. “How do you think I know it exists? It’s all over my fan pages.”

“You’re so full of yourself,” Eren laughed. He caught Levi by the straps running over his shoulders, reeling him in. Levi looked far from mad, hands settling on Eren’s thighs. He pressed a kiss to the tip of his nose before his gaze turned serious. “You want to bring Erwin in.”

“There is no bringing him in.” Levi shook his head. “He’s like a tumor. You don’t lock it away, you cut it out before it kills off the rest of the host.”

“You want to kill him.”

Mismatched eyes met worried green. “Yes,” he said calmly. “does that scare you?”

“It does,” Eren admitted. His hands clutched at Levi’s shoulders, keeping him in place before he could move away. “Wait! It’s not for the reason you think. I wasn’t lying when I told you that I thought I’d be okay with being around killers so long as they didn’t intend to hurt me. I’m scared but not of you. I’m scared _for_ you, Levi.” He smiled faintly, taking his boyfriend’s face into his hands. “Erwin terrifies me and I don’t know half of what he can do. Thinking about you going after him is… I don’t like the thought. He hurt you once. I don’t want to give him the chance to do it again.”

Levi softened. “I’m going to come back,” he said, leaning into Eren’s hands. “no matter what it takes.”

Eren shook his head. “You can’t promise that. Which is why I’m coming with you.”

He stiffened. His hands tightened on Eren’s thighs, wings fluffing. “You said you didn’t want to be a hero but this would make you the opposite. Do you really want that?”

“I’m not normal anymore, Levi. I’m coming to accept that. I want to do this.” He leaned closer, stealing a kiss. “I want to stand by your side.”

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Levi wondered.

Eren laughed softly, hands sliding down his face to run over his chest. The flesh was raised and uneven at some points from the burns. He didn’t care. “What are the chances I can get you to stay here and kiss me for a while? Erwin can wait.”

Levi’s eyes darkened as they dropped to Eren’s lips. “We have time,” he said, gravitating closer. Heavy hands ran up Eren’s thighs, pulling a shiver from him. Levi smirked, tugging him closer by his hips. Long legs wrapped around his waist, removing any possibility of escape.

Eren’s head tipped back as Levi bit his way down his throat. A savage want wracked through him. He wanted Levi to bite harder, to mark and claim him. He wanted people to look at him and know without a doubt that someone had left bruises on his neck with the express intent of stating _‘this is mine.’_ “Fuck,” he moaned, fisting a hand in his boyfriend’s hair. “harder. Leave marks.”

A sound as savage as the need inside of him tore up through Levi’s throat. A hand curled up into Eren’s hair to jerk his head back. He gasped, losing his own hold on black strands. His hands moved to clutch at Levi’s shoulders instead for support. A hiss left parted lips when the sting teeth came harder this time.

Eren rocked his hips down into Levi’s with force, eager to get rid of the clothes still between them. It’d been a while since he’d been with someone intimately, and with both their secrets they hadn’t exactly gotten to do all that much due to Levi’s bandages. Now that the truth was out in the open, Eren’s hands were free to roam and roam they did. From broad shoulders to a firm chest and a trim waist, he soaked it all in. He planned to memorize Levi one day, when they weren’t pressed for time. He was pleased with the start.

“Let me?” Eren asked breathlessly, fingers curled underneath the button of his boyfriend’s pants.

Levi groaned, leaning back to yank Eren’s shirt off. He fell back onto tanned skin like a starving man. “Do it.”

He shivered at the darkness in Levi’s voice. Eren wasted little time in pulling Levi’s cock out of his pants. He’d never stopped to consider if Levi might have been burned there as well, but a quick glance down told him that what he was feeling was a piercing and not a burn. A bar sat snug beneath the head of his boyfriend’s erection and fuck if that wasn’t hot. “You didn’t tell me,” he accused over Levi’s laughter.

A grin flashed across his face. “Surprise?”

Eren shoved against his shoulder without any real heat. His hand gave a slow pump, getting used to the weight of Levi against his palm. He let out an embarrassingly loud moan when a hand massaged his own arousal though his pants.

“That was a cute noise,” Levi murmured, teeth tracing the line of his jaw. A finger hooked into the waist band of his jeans, tugging lightly. “Can I take these off?”

Eren shuddered at the mere idea. He nodded shakily, releasing Levi so that he could get at the zipper properly. He leaned back, lifting his hips when the other man tugged on the fabric. He wasn’t given much of a chance to absorb the fact that he was naked and splayed out on his villain-turned-boyfriend’s desk. Levi was on him in seconds.

Calloused hands slid over Eren’s thighs, spreading his legs wider as Levi fell to his knees. He yanked him to the edge of the desk, drawing a yelp of surprise from Eren when he fell backwards.

“What—” Eren started to say, pushing up onto an elbow. The words were promptly stolen as he met mischievous eyes seconds before Levi was taking him into his mouth. They’d had the sex and diseases conversation a while ago, when hands had begun wandering and things were growing far too heated. The only thing that had been between them was Levi’s past. Still, he hadn’t expected the other male to jump straight into things.

His head fell back, mouth dropping open in surprised pleasure. Levi wasn’t fooling around. His movements were fast and purposeful, and even with it being their first time Eren was drawing close to the edge embarrassingly fast. “Levi,” he tried to moan, hands searching for some kind of support. Levi’s hands found them, coaxing Eren’s fingers into curling around his own. He gave a gentle squeeze, the weight reassuring amongst all the sensation. “Fuck!”

Levi hummed softly, swallowing as the cock in his mouth began to spill. He pulled off once Eren was done, mouth wet. Eren twitched as kisses were trailed up his stomach, lips doing their best to return the contact they were given.

“That was…” Eren trailed off, still a bit dazed. He settled with giving a thumbs up.

Levi laughed. He pushed the hair out of Eren’s face, gaze warm. “Glad you approve,” he rasped. “been wanting to get my mouth on you for a while. I was wondering what sounds you’d make.”

He shivered all over again. “God,” he mumbled, pushing up onto an elbow. Eren glanced down at Levi’s erection, hand pausing on his boyfriend’s chest. “Can I…?”

“Go ahead,” Levi encouraged.

His hand curled around him, not needing any more coaxing than that. Eren had never been with someone with a dick piercing before. It made him curious, fingers tracing the skin around the bar. He tried pressing down on the skin above where the metal went through flesh, only to get a moan. Green eyes flew up to Levi’s face, worried that he’d done something wrong. His worry was quickly erased.

 “It’s alright,” Levi murmured. A hand lifted to cradle Eren’s cheek, drawing him close for a kiss. “It feels good.”

He flushed at the amount of tenderness in those words alone, chest aching sweetly. Levi made him hurt in new and unexpected ways—Eren had never felt so safe. His hand pumped, working out what got his boyfriend going. He figured out a rhythm, alternating the slow strokes Levi seemed to favor with the brush of his thumb over his piercing. Moans were muffled into the skin of his neck and jaw, where Levi pressed distracted kisses to Eren’s skin. It warmed him to the core.

He was struck with the realization that he wanted to make Levi feel safe too. He wanted to take care of the other man, to pamper and protect and love. Eren faltered, at the thought. Thankfully, Levi was adequately distracted, hips rocking into the hand between his legs. It didn’t take long for his boyfriend to spill into his hand and he let up when the man’s orgasm was over.

“Here,” Levi murmured, reaching behind Eren to pull a tissue out of the box on his desk. How they’d managed not to knock it over was a mystery in itself. Levi tucked himself back into his pants before pulling Eren into his lap and off of the hard wood. His wings wrapped around them both, keeping Eren warm considering his lack of clothes. Eren hurt all over again with the tenderness of it all.

“Levi,” he touched a hand to his cheek. His eyes were soft and full of gratitude. “Thank you.”

He shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. I can heat up some leftovers before we leave. It’ll give you time to settle and me time to finish getting ready.”

“Alright.” Eren pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Do you mind if I shower first?”

“No, go ahead. We still have time. Doesn’t really matter when we hit the streets.” Even still, he didn’t let go of Eren. Not until he was asked to. Careful hands placed him back onto his feet, steadying Eren until his legs firmed. Eren shot him another grateful look on his way to the bathroom.

It was as he stood under the spray of the water that he recalled his thoughts. _Love_ , Eren thought, a hand pressed to his chest. He didn’t bother fighting a smile. There was no one around to see it, after all.  

They’d been together for over two months now, he realized. It felt so much longer. He felt safe with Levi, grounded—and still there was the touch of danger that came with The Storm. They were one in the same and the thought made his smile widen. They were both his—just as he was theirs. It was then that he could admit to himself that he was in love.

He finished up in the shower, drying quickly before making his way to where Levi waited in the kitchen.

“What’s that smile for?” Levi asked suspiciously.

Eren’s lips stretched wider. “Nothing,” he told him, leaning down to press a kiss to his boyfriend’s mouth. “I’m just happy.”

He softened at the news. “I’m happy too,” Levi admitted.

The shifter’s chest gave another elated throb at the knowledge. Yes, he was very much in love.

* * *

“Falcon what is your position? Over.”

There was the sound of rushing wind before Levi’s exasperated voice filtered in through his earpiece. “Eren, what are you doing?”

Eren pressed a hand to his ear while he kept an eye on his surroundings. Not that it was likely anyone would find him. He was stuffed into a small corner beneath the outside booth of a restaurant. Levi had even used magic as an added measure to keep him safe. “Code names, Falcon. Get with the program, over.”

“Alright,” he sighed. “puppy then.”

 _“Levi!”_ Eren whined. “I gave you a cool name!”

 _"Eren,”_ Levi copied. “you just used my real name.”

There was silence for a few long moments. “…I failed,” he finally whispered. “I blew your cover. I’m a terrible partner.”

“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”

“If we were spies I could have gotten you killed!”

There was the sound of wing beats before the clack of Levi’s heels hitting the ground echoed up through the speaker. “If we were spies we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eren shifted in place. “Recon is looking good. Did you find the assets?”

There was the sound of shouting on the other line. A gunshot went off and then someone crying out filtered in from a distance. “Found them,” he said wryly. “We’ll be there in 10.”

“You got it, chief.” Eren gave a mock salute despite the fact that his boyfriend couldn’t see. “Over and out.”

Levi sighed.

* * *

The villain’s arrival was easy to spot. One moment the sky was clear and the next black fog began to creep down the street. It took less than a minute for everything to be completely shrouded in it and Eren was left with the knowledge that he was glad Levi was on his side.

Somewhere overhead came the sound of wingbeats. He peered up in the direction of the sky in a useless attempt of spotting his boyfriend. A thud sounded off to Eren’s right moments later, causing Eren to jump in surprise. A grunt followed as a foreign voice spewed curses.

“The fuck is this?” A woman hissed. “I thought we already had an agreed meeting time!”

The lazy drawl of The Storm drifted in through the fog. “The meeting was compromised. I brought you here to throw them off our trail.”

There was a shift in the fog in front of Eren. His eyes zeroed in on it, watching as the curtain between himself and the two criminals grew thinner. He could make out their shadows now and Eren raised his camera. He knew what the signal meant. The plan was to take some pictures to accompany the recording taking place. Not clear ones of course, considering the fact that they didn’t want to make Erwin suspicious.

“They’re closing in?”

“Every day,” Storm said, sounding bored. His wings shifted. “did you do what I asked?”

The anger drained from the woman’s voice. Instead it was replaced with satisfaction. “Yeah, boss. Everything is all set for tomorrow.”

“Good. I have another task for you. It’s going to require you to call on your religion.”

Eren frowned, sure that Levi was just fucking with the recording. What else could that possibly mean?

The woman seemed to understand. “Sure thing. I’ll head over to service later.”

The fog thickened as Storm nodded, cutting off his line of sight once more. Eren shoved his camera back into his bag in preparation to leave. “Dismissed.”

What sounded like the woman running away grew more and more distant until all that was left was silence. Levi appeared through the fog, holding up one of the small recording devices Erwin had sent over.  “We can double check this later. Right now we should go before the cops get too adventurous.”

Eren nodded, pocketing the metal cylinder. “I can meet you back at the apartment,” he started to say, only to be scooped up into strong arms. Eren squeaked, his own clutching at Levi’s shoulders. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not leaving you out here to wander back alone. I told you I’d keep you safe.” Wings flared behind his shoulders in preparation for flight. “I’m carrying you back.”

Eren’s eyes widened in surprise. “You can do that?”

Instead of answering Levi smirked. “You’re not afraid of heights, right?”

Before he could even finish shaking his head Levi took a running leap, wings giving a hard thrust downwards as they began their ascent. Eren reminded himself to scold him later. How could he do it when the ground was becoming further and further away? Wide eyes took in everything around them. He refused to close them even as the wind made them water, arms tight around Levi’s neck. Not once did the man’s hold loosen on him, leaving Eren feeling as safe as ever. When they touched down into an alley near Levi’s apartment complex he almost wished they could keep going. There weren’t any problems in the sky. No Erwin, no corruption and no murder—attempted or otherwise. Just Levi and Eren, free at last.

“Eren?”

He blinked, meeting concerned blue eyes. He shot him a smile. “I’m okay, just daydreaming. I’m kinda jealous you can do that whenever you want.”

“I’ll take you for a proper flight sometime,” Levi promised. “when being seen with me doesn’t mean your endangerment.”

Eren sighed, releasing the other man as he was set back down onto two feet. “I hope that’s soon. I want to be able to do normal things like introduce you to my friends and go on dates that don’t require you to cover half of yourself in bandages. You deserve to be free.”

Levi touched a hand to his face, gaze sincere. “You help make me feel like it. The more time I spend with you the less I feel like a caged bird. Soon I’ll be able to burn the cage completely. There’s just a few more things I have to do before Erwin will be out of the picture for good.”

“Is that what you meant when you told that girl she would need her religion?”

“That’s kind of a joke,” he admitted. “her girlfriend has a special ability that make most of her victims see her as a goddess. We use it as code. You met her actually—back at my old apartment.”

It took a second for the shifter to put it all together. “The old woman?” He said, shocked. “ _That’s_ her _girlfriend_?”

“That’s not her real form,” Levi chuckled. “she can become human copies and has the innate ability to tell who the most important person is to you—and to use it to her advantage.”

Eren tried to take that in stride. “Are they going to help take Erwin down too?”

 “They’re going to try. I have a lot of people behind me. People that Erwin has wronged in the name of what he calls ‘keeping peace.’ I even have a few inside Titan keeping tabs on what his orders are.”

His eyes widened at the knowledge. He ran through everyone he’d ever interacted with in Titan but came up with nothing to point towards any of them being spies. “You’ve been planning this for a long time, haven’t you?”

Levi gave a grim smile. “Since the day that fucker tried to burn me alive. I’ve had three years to plan a counter attack. I’m not going to let it fail.”

“I’ll be there then,” Eren promised, squeezing his hand. “You won’t be alone.”

He softened, giving Eren another one of those tender looks. “I know you will.” Levi pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “I trust you.”

The words sent warmth out from his chest. Eren silently swore that he would protect that trust to his last breath. Levi had been betrayed enough in his lifetime. It was time for him to find safety again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These dorks. I love them.
> 
> Tell me what you thought? ;)


	14. The Calm Before The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another one of my favorite chapters and I've been waiting for forever to post it. There's also [art for this chapter and it's beautiful!](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/post/170472743064/askhungryeren-did-this-lovely-commission-for-me)

The recording was sent off without a hitch once they’d made sure the voices weren’t too clear or recognizable. The pictures came along with it and Erwin sounded pleased when he replied to the email. He was told to keep up the good work so Eren assumed he was in the clear. The ease of pressure helped immensely when it came to the stress he’d been feeling as of late. It lead to Eren’s realization that things had been too serious lately, as well as the decision to do something to change it. After working so hard to keep Erwin off of their trail it was about time that they did something fun again.

Levi was working in his study when Eren slipped into his apartment—as usual. He’d been given a key and spent most of his time at the other man’s place now that they didn’t have any secrets left to hide. It was hard to sneak up on Levi, but that didn’t stop Eren from trying.

He crept past the office doorway on soft feet, trying to be as quiet as possible. When he was within arm’s length he lunged forward, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s shoulders with a laugh. “Got you!” Or well, he would have if Levi had shown even the slightest bit of a reaction. Eren pouted. “What did I do wrong this time?”

“I saw your reflection in my computer screen.” Levi reached up, ruffling his hair. “You did well though. That was probably your best attempt yet.”

Eren beamed. “Yeah?” He pressed a kiss to his jaw. “I’m here to drag you away from your boring schedule.”

“My boring schedule is what keeps this place running and both of us safe,” he said dryly.

“Yeah but you can take a day off. It doesn’t take a genius to see you’re a workaholic.” Eren stepped back, taking the back of Levi’s chair in his hands to spin his boyfriend around. He took the opportunity to sit down on the other man’s lap, legs tossed over the side of the arm rest. He nuzzled Levi’s jaw, pouting slightly. “Come have fun with me, I want to play.”

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s waist. He sighed, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. “What did you have in mind?”

Eren grinned, stealing a kiss. “I figured we could blow off some steam.” He gave the low collar of Levi’s tank top a suggestive tug. Sharp teeth bit down lightly on an earlobe. “I found a place where you can really… _relax_.”

He shivered lightly, pupils expanding. “Relax, huh?” His head turned, chasing after Eren’s mouth. “Why do I get the feeling that pretty little head of yours is scheming?”

“‘Cause it is.” He smiled cheekily. Eren reached over Levi, saving whatever document he’d been working on before closing his laptop. “It’s time to take a break. You said you’d take me for a flight and it may not be the day Erwin is gone but I know the perfect place to go. You can keep what you’re wearing on, too. We’ll be alone.”

An eyebrow raised. “Are you going to tell me where this mysterious place is?”

“Nope,” Eren sang, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. “It’s a surprise. I’m sure you’ll like it though.”

Levi’s nose wrinkled. “Alright, just let me grab my jacket and shoes. Do I need my wallet?”

He got up, off of the chair. “No, I’ve got us covered.” Eren gave an impatient wave of his hands when his boyfriend stayed put. “Levi!”

“I’m going, I’m going.”  Levi shook his head in exasperation. “You’re becoming a spoiled thing aren’t you?”

Eren didn’t deem that with a response. He pranced back out into the living room to double check his book bag for what was probably the fifth time that day. He wanted things to be perfect. Levi strode after him, jacket thrown over his shoulders. He gave the bag a curious look but didn’t ask, figuring it had something to do with the surprise. There were slits cut into the back of his jacket to make room for his wings. Eren guessed that he had different wardrobes for when he had to hide and when he didn’t.

“Alright,” Levi said, boots on his feet and jacket zipped. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Eren managed to keep his boyfriend relatively in the dark on where they were going. Of course, once they left the city behind and came across the forest, he guessed it was fairly obvious. He made a note to praise whatever genetics had given Levi the ability to use magic. Without it they would have had to go at night, which wasn’t nearly as fun. He pointed out a cluster of large trees located near a small stream. It was hard to pick out from above and Eren only recognized it due to the cloth he had tied to the top of one of the trees. He’d gone roaming as a wolf while visiting the hero compound in an effort to find a place where no one could find him and, more importantly, where Levi could be himself.

Levi’s boots hit the ground. His wings folded back against his shoulders, long primary feathers trailing a few inches above the ground. Eren pressed a kiss to his cheek before he was set down, giving a long stretch. It’d taken about an hour and a half to get to the small circle of trees and he was feeling a bit stiff. Still, that was nothing that couldn’t be fixed.

“Eren,” Levi began, looking around them in confusion. “What are we doing here?”

 “This is a trap,” he said casually, taking off his shirt.

Levi looked less than amused. “Why are you taking your clothes off?”

“I figured you haven’t had a chance to fight with someone in a while and you’ve never seen me shift.” He shrugged, tugging off his shoes and socks. “If we’re going to go after Erwin together we should probably know one another’s strengths and weaknesses. Isn’t that usually how teams work in action movies?”

Levi blinked in surprise, struggling not to stare. “That’s… actually a good idea.”

Eren tossed him a grin. “Marvel didn’t raise no fool.” He stood, fingers hooking into the button of his jeans. “So, you in?”

Fingers went for the zipper of his jacket blindly, eyes unable to look away from Eren’s increasing nudity. “Definitely in.”

Eren’s pants dropped, leaving him bare to the world. Luckily, the world was pretty distant from where they were. The only one around was Levi. “I figured the trees would make flying too high impossible so it would even the playing field a bit. Otherwise you could just fly away.”

“You think I would run?” Levi smirked, eyes heated as he shrugged off his jacket. “I can do a lot more than fly, pup.”

Eren shot him a challenging stare. “Watch who you call pup, old man. You don’t know if I could kick your ass.”

“Show me then,” he practically purred. A finger crooked, beckoning him closer. “I’m curious to see these powers of yours.”

A verbal response wasn’t given. Instead green eyes flashed. They glowed eerily as he fell forward onto two paws, body growing at a rate quicker than Levi’s eyes could keep up with. In less than ten seconds a wolf nearly twice the size of Levi stood less than five feet away from him. “Wow,” he murmured.

Eren whined, closing the space between them to nuzzle his boyfriend’s stomach. His head was wider than Levi’s entire body—hell, his nose was almost as big as the man’s head. The weight of it sent him off balance. Luckily, Eren had more than enough fur to grab onto for support. Pale fingers curled into plush brown strands, marveling at the texture. “You look like an overgrown house pet to me.”

Eren pulled back slightly to bare his teeth. A playful growl bubbled up from his chest as he bit down lightly on Levi’s scar-less shoulder, sending vibrations through the other man. “How scary.” Levi chuckled, scratching at one of his ears.

A snort left his mouth as if in agreement. Eren relaxed his jaws, giving a lick to the pink skin. “Gross,” he complained, plucking at the half of his tank top that was now plastered to his skin. Eren cocked his head, giving an innocent whine. “I can see your tail wagging, you asshole. I’ll remember this.”

He gave a bark, stepping out of Levi’s space. He darted to the edge of the trees, running full force to the point that Levi half thought he was going to crash. Eren spun at the last minute, going low to the ground with his front legs out in front of him. His rump wiggled playfully, tongue lolling out of intimidating jaws.

Levi raised an eyebrow. “When you said you wanted to play I didn’t exactly have this in mind.” He stepped back, bracing his weight as his arms came up. “Come on then, puppy. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Eren snarled, muscles bunching. He bolted forward, closing the distance between them in four giant strides. Levi twisted to the side, avoiding giant jaws. His elbow came up into Eren’s throat, shoving him back. Eren coughed, staggering away to regain his breath. Levi had a few seconds of reprieve before he was back again, large bulk trying to pin the smaller man beneath his weight.

“Eren!” Levi spat out a mouthful of fur, legs coming up to slam into his stomach. “Are you even taking this seriously?”

Large paws batted at his arms and somehow Eren managed to pin one in place. The other followed shortly and Eren leered down at him. Levi huffed, far from impressed. “I’m starting to think you just wanted to bat me around like a chew toy.”

Levi’s hands lit with black, drawing green eyes. He used the distraction to place a solid kick to Eren’s muzzle. He was thrown off balance with the hit, and the release of one of Levi’s arms gave him the reward of a cloud of smoke to his face. Levi stood while Eren was pawing at his muzzle in an attempt to get the stuff off. He crashed into a tree in the process, before falling with a yelp. Deciding that he had little chance of escaping, he fell still. He gave a few pitiful whimpers, enticing Levi to let him go. Levi let him stew in his defeat for a few long moments before striding closer.

Tall ears perked at the sound of his approach and Eren’s head swung in his direction hopefully. A touch to the magic had it vanishing like mist, freeing his sight once more. Immediately green eyes blinked, growing accustomed to seeing once more. He pawed at his jaw with a whine, looking betrayed.

Levi’s eyes rolled. “I didn’t hit you that hard, you big baby.” He leaned down when Eren continued to pout, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose. Eren froze, blinking wide eyes up at him. “Better?”

Eren’s tail wagged slowly. He gave another whine, nudging his head into Levi’s hand. “What? You want more?” His tail wagged faster, enough to start shaking his rump. Levi chuckled, kneeling beside his boyfriend. He wrapped arms around a thick neck, unable to even touch his hands to one another. Small butterfly kisses were pressed to Eren’s grinning muzzle and when he pulled back slightly to meet a glowing green eye, Eren looked far too pleased with himself. “It was never your intention to do something serious, was it?” Levi brushed a hand along the longer fur of Eren’s face. His eyes were soft with the knowledge. “You’ve been trying to get me to relax.”

A soft whine answered his words. Eren nudged him forward once more, hooking his chin over Levi’s shoulder. It was as close to a hug as you could get from a giant mutant wolf. With paws bigger than his waist sitting on either side of him, and his face buried in the fur of Eren’s chest, it occurred to Levi that he actually felt… safe. It was a feeling he had not had in a very long time.

“I love you,” he said quietly. There was the chance that one or both of them might not survive the coming days. Levi wasn’t about to let something so important go unsaid. His body remained loose against his boyfriend as Eren’s head lifted in surprise. “It’s fine.” He ran a hand through soft fur when he whined. “I don’t expect a response. I just want to stay like this for a while if that’s alright.”

Eren made an unhappy sound but settled back down nonetheless. His tail wagged lazily against the forest floor, picking up dirt and a few stray leaves. Levi bit back a smile at the sight. He shifted, releasing his boyfriend’s neck to get into a more comfortable position. He ended up with his back pressed to Eren’s chest and Eren’s head in his lap. It took a bit of maneuvering to rest his wings but in the end they managed. They probably looked a bit ridiculous with one of Levi’s wings draped limply over Eren’s neck and the other splayed out over his leg. Either way it was comfortable and that was all that mattered.

“I’m curious what concerned you so much about your bag if this is what you had planned,” Levi eventually mentioned, staring up at the dimming sky. Eren’s ears perked. He glanced over at the bag, looking torn between staying put and grabbing it. Levi made it easy. Magic curled around one of the straps, lifting it up from the ground and depositing it beside them. Levi opened it, peering inside at Eren’s insistence to find a picnic’s worth of food. “You went all out didn’t you?”

Containers were laid out on the other side of a furry leg and he was surprised to find that they were all some of his favorite foods. Levi smiled, touching a hand to the side of Eren’s face. “Thank you. Or should I say good boy?”

Eren huffed at the tease.

A container was picked at random and a collection of strawberries were revealed. Levi bit into one with a soft hum, going to offer one to Eren only to pause. “You can still eat normal food right? You’re not going to die if you eat chocolate or something stupid like that?”

Eren shrugged, clearly not having thought about it. He whined when Levi began to withdraw his hand, tongue snatching the berry away. It was gone quickly considering his sizable mouth. Levi gave him a wary glance. “If you get sick it’s on you.”

Green eyes rolled.

“I mean it,” Levi insisted as he held up another berry. “I don’t want to find out what mutant wolf vomit looks like.” Despite the appetizing image, they continued to share the food. Eren found an especial appreciation of meat in this form and he gobbled up the sandwich Levi offered him in seconds. He made the mistake of accepting a second one thinking that it was the same thing. There wasn’t nearly enough water in the bottles Eren had packed to help wash down the peanut butter plastered to the roof of his mouth, so he was left shooting Levi betrayed looks as he laughed at his misfortune. Eren examined every offering carefully after that, and got by with no more mishaps, thankfully.

When the food was all gone, Levi gave a slow stretch before melting back against his boyfriend’s chest. “We should probably get back,” he admitted, noting the growing shadows. “it’s getting late.”

Eren whined, knowing he was right. A hand gave a consoling pat to his nose. “We can come back.” Levi coaxed Eren’s head off of his legs. “This place will still be here.”

The wolf vanished as he shifted back, leaving behind a very naked human. Eren wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, nuzzling into his neck. “I love you too,” he declared. “you weren’t supposed to beat me to it.”

“I didn’t know it was a competition.”

He pulled back, meeting blue eyes with mock seriousness. “Levi, it’s _always_ a competition.”

Levi shook his head fondly. “I guess you’re the loser then.”

“Wrong,” Eren said, dropping a kiss to his nose. “I’m a winner because you love me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised bird and wolf cuddles so there you go. Things are going to start to get messy after this so enjoy the peace while it lasts
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	15. Warning Bells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: it was brought to my attention that a couple paragraphs were somehow deleted in the last chapter. They're back up now so if you read the chapter during the first few days it was up I would highly recommend going back to read, as you missed Levi's love confession 
> 
> with that said, have some smut to ease the blow of what's to come

He’d planned on heading to the compound on Saturday as usual, but ended up with a text from the others explaining that they had been called out on jobs. Reiner and Bertholdt still hadn’t come back from their previous one either, so that left Eren alone. Being alone in the compound sounded rather terrifying so he opted to stay home for a change. Levi had gone out on business too, so that left him to find something to do to will away the time. He ended up in his boyfriend’s apartment, seeing as out of the two of them, Levi’s was more homey. The game consoles sitting by the TV seemed like a good enough distraction, so Eren set up his laptop on the coffee table before starting the game. He was expecting a call from Erwin at some point and considering the fact that Levi wasn’t around, he figured it was fine to do it on the couch. There wasn’t exactly anything to give away where he was.

It was several hours into attempting to survive as a goat in a zombie apocalypse that Levi came home. “Having fun?” He asked over Eren’s stream of curses, walking past to change out of his bandages.

“I would be if this asshole would just stay alive!”

When he returned, things weren’t much better. With a bag of chips in hand, Levi took the open space on the couch, watching the screen. “How long have you been playing?”

Eren glanced over at his computer, cursing when his distraction ended his life once again. “Maybe three hours?” He frowned, setting the remote aside to check his emails. “Erwin was supposed to call me.”

“Maybe he forgot,” Levi suggested. “You haven’t sent anything in since last week right?”

“Yeah, but he said something about new information…” Eren shook his head, deciding it didn’t matter. He kept his laptop open just in case, before turning his attention to Levi. “How did business go?”

“Good,” Levi shrugged. “Just had to file some paperwork to keep everything up-to-date and running smooth.” He fed Eren a chip. “I thought you were going to see your friends?”

“They’re out on jobs. I didn’t want to go alone so I decided to just take it easy for once.” He curled up against his boyfriend’s side. “Do you want to play?”

“No it’s fine, I like watching you.”

“Watching me die, you mean,” Eren grumbled. The game restarted, placing him back in the same stupid cage as before. “This game is infuriating.”

“I think that’s kind of the point.” Levi fed him chips in between the spew of curses and groans that escaped Eren’s mouth. They fell into easy banter and when the chips were gone, Levi took a turn.

Halfway into Levi shouting abuse at his goat’s decreasing health, Eren’s laptop began to play a familiar tune. He froze, heart beating wildly. “You need to hide,” he panicked, taking the remote and pausing the game. “Get behind the couch!”

Levi moved without a word, taking cover behind the furniture as Eren accepted the call. Erwin Smith’s face welcomed him. “Eren, I apologize for my lateness. Something came up in the lab that had to be dealt with immediately.”

Eren smiled, trying not to display how shaken his nerves were. “You don’t have to apologize, I understand. You said something about having additional information for me?”

“We have reason to believe The Storm has a partner. I want you to be on the lookout for any associates you may see while tracking him. If we can identify them, we have a higher chance of taking him down.”

“I understand.” It was a miracle he was so calm. “Do you have an idea on their looks?”

Erwin shook his head. “All we know right now is that they’re taller than him. Not a lot to go on, I know. I’ll try to get you more information in the coming days.”

“Sounds good, sir.”

They said their goodbyes far too slowly in Eren’s opinion. When the call finally ended he slammed his laptop shut, turning to stare at where Levi had emerged. “Fuck, how does he know?!”

There was an unreadable expression on Levi’s face. He sat back down next to Eren, taking his face into his hands. “Calm down,” Levi soothed. “You heard what he said, he doesn’t know shit. I’ve been cloaking you with magic every time we go out. No one will be able to recognize you.”

Scared green eyes began to calm as they searched his face. “Really?”

“Really,” he confirmed. A thumb ran over Eren’s cheek. “I said I’d keep you safe and I meant it. I’m not putting you at risk if I can help it.”

Eren let out a soft sigh, shoulders slumping. “I know. This whole situation has just got me on edge. I’ll be glad when it’s over.”

“You and me both.” Levi looked back over at the TV. “Do you want to keep going or should we do something else?”

“I actually took some pictures of the city a few days ago,” he admitted. “I was hoping you would give me your opinion on a few. I don’t do a lot of shots without people so I could use the critique.”

“Sure,” Levi agreed easily. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be though, I’m not very artistic.”

“Just another pair of eyes helps, artist or otherwise.” Eren looked through his bag, frowning when he came up short. “My USB must be at my apartment. I’ll go grab it and come back.”

“We can just stay over there tonight. I feel bad for stealing you away so often.” Levi stood, throwing the empty bag of chips away. He grabbed his jacket and keys before shutting off the TV. “Besides, I haven’t been over there since I snooped through your stuff.”

“I forgot about that,” Eren chuckled. “It’s been a while.”

“How far we’ve come,” Levi said dryly, locking the door behind them.

* * *

It took a while for Eren to find his files. He looked far and wide only to find it under his bed in the end. “That’s weird,” he muttered, heading back out into the living room.

“Hm?”

“I don’t remember using this in my room. Usually I’m more careful about where I put it, too…” he shook his head. “Guess all the late nights have messed with my memory.”

The USB was plugged into his laptop. He waited for it to start back up, sitting down beside Levi on his—admittedly—lumpier couch. “Here it is.” Eren shifted nervously, clicking on the file he’d labeled under cityscape.

Levi sorted through the pictures, doing his best to give proper comments. It was rather endearing, honestly. “The light is nice in that one… what’s that called? Whatever it is, it’s fucking cool… that bird has seen some shit—” he looked up at the sound of Eren’s laughter, looking confused. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head fondly. He twined his fingers with Levi’s, giving his hand a squeeze. “I just love you.”

A blush colored pale cheeks, worsening the warmth in Eren’s chest. He leaned closer, unable to resist tasting embarrassed lips. “You’re surprisingly cute when you blush.”

“Shut up,” Levi grumbled. His attempts to look away were thwarted by a hand on his jaw. He gave in when Eren’s mouth met his own. “Eren,” he said breathlessly, when hands began to creep under his shirt. “I thought you wanted feedback.”

“I do,” he murmured, biting into a pale neck. He pulled Levi onto his lap, hands roaming over his stomach. “Keep going.”

Levi’s teeth sunk into his bottom lip when two fingers found a rosy nipple. “This one is interesting,” he started to say, in reference to a picture taken at an angle from the ground. He shivered when Eren’s attention grew rougher, head tipping to the side to give more room for sharp teeth. “it’s—I like that—”

“You like that?” Eren teased, running a finger over the outline of Levi’s arousal. His hand slid under the fabric of his sweatpants, giving a firm squeeze.

Levi’s head fell back. “Oh, fuck.”

Something changed between them at the words—or maybe it was just Eren. A low growl ripped free from his throat, vibrating against the nape of Levi’s neck. The hand at his hip flexed.

“You want that?” Levi guessed, not above teasing after Eren’s little stunt. His hips rocked, giving pressure to the cock he could feel beneath his thighs. “I might let you if you ask nicely… or rudely. It’s up to you to convince me.”

Eren groaned, yanking Levi down against his hips. His own bucked, sending the mouse clattering to the floor and out of Levi’s hands. “I don’t know what’s happening to me,” he said hoarsely. It took a second to realize that Eren didn’t have a green light, it was his eyes glowing. “I want you.”

Levi let out a soft sigh, guiding Eren’s hand back up to his chest. “You have lube right?”

“Yeah,” he said, sounding distracted.

“Alright, why don’t we play a game then?” Levi gave another rock, giving up on his original task. “If you can convince me, I’ll let you fuck me.”

“And if I can’t?”

“Then I’m sure your hand can make up for it.”

He wasn’t quite sure that the joke came across when Eren snarled his displeasure. Immediately, his world shifted. He was thrown onto his stomach, sweatpants dragged off by hungry hands. Levi decided to help with the process, tugging his tank top up and off. His wings were separating from his back, flexing and shifting under the pleasure. Eren crowded up behind him, clothed hips hitting the backs of Levi’s thighs as teeth and lips descended on vulnerable skin. Eren seemed to have a goal, and that was to mark him from head to toe. Levi guessed that of the two of them, he was the one that could most likely get away with it.

A hand dropped between his legs as Levi took himself in hand, his weight braced on his other arm. Eren purred his approval, mouth trailing lower and lower. Levi gasped when teeth sank into his ass, hips jerking under the pain. The sensation came again, on the other cheek, before Eren turned his attention to something far different.

Large hands closed over Levi’s ass, spreading him wide to reveal a blushing mouth. He didn’t get the chance to ask Eren what he was thinking, because Eren’s tongue told him all he needed to know.

Levi moaned, wings flaring as Eren went at his ass like a starving man. He wasn’t sure what was going on with the sudden glowing eyes and animalistic sounds, but he sent up a silent thank you to whoever might be listening. A finger joined Eren’s mouth, adding a whole other sensation to the already dizzying mix. Levi would be embarrassed about the fact that he was already so close if it weren’t for the fact that Eren seemed so eager to drive him out of his mind. A hand slid under Levi’s hips, swatting away the hand wrapped around his cock only to replace it with Eren’s own. There really was no hope after that.

A muffled cry left his lips as he spilled onto the couch below. He didn’t get a chance to think about how tedious cleaning that would be, in moments Eren had him thrown over a shoulder. Levi would have complained adamantly about being treated like a rag doll if he hadn’t just been brought to a rather spectacular orgasm. The fingers still working his ass open didn’t hurt either. He was almost disappointed when they left him.

This time, Levi was ready for it when Eren tossed him down. Hands pawed at his hips, trying to turn him back over onto his stomach. He snapped at Levi moodily when the man fought him. A bop to the nose had Eren’s growls turning into silent confusion.

“Get your pants off at least,” Levi said in exasperation. He rolled over when Eren tried pushing at him again, grabbing a pillow to stuff under his hips. The sound of lube being opened was music to his ears and before long, those fingers were back. He couldn’t get back into the game so fast but the slow pulses of Eren’s hand was doing wonders in stoking his arousal back to life.

By the time fingers were replaced with something far better, Levi was rocking into the pillow beneath him. He let out a soft whine when Eren teased at his entrance, pushing the head of his erection inside only to pull back out again. Levi was about ten seconds away from flipping Eren over and taking what he wanted when Eren finally gave Levi what he had been waiting for in one smooth slide.

He panted into the sheets, mouth open and eyes squeezed shut. Fuck, did Eren give his ass a run for its money. A hand slid down the arch of Levi’s back, pressing his lower body even further into the mattress. It curled around the base of Levi’s wing, using it as leverage to pull Levi back onto Eren’s cock.

“Alright?” Eren rasped.

Levi shivered, testing the hold. “More than alright,” he finally panted. “fuck me.”

He apparently didn’t need to tell Eren twice. Eren’s hips drew back before he gave a hard thrust forward. The force of it nearly shifted Levi’s knees up the bed and he hissed at the rightness of it. He’d probably hate himself when his ass stung after this, but Levi always had the power of healing magic on his side.

Despite the fast pace, Eren was careful with Levi’s wings. He never pulled too hard or squeezed too tightly. It was a thrill all on its own to have his hands on them. It added a whole other level of trust and helplessness to the situation and Levi was enjoying it greatly.

A hand slid beneath his body, curling around his cock. Levi wasn’t sure if it was planned or if Eren was just as lost as he was, but a jolt of electricity went straight from Eren’s hand through his cock. Eren practically howled when Levi clamped down around him in orgasm, and he was left panting into the sheets, pillow wet beneath him. Distantly, he wondered if Eren would do it again if he asked.

Distracted from his line of thought, Levi’s eyes widened as something pressed against his rim. Eren’s hands were on his cock and back respectively, so he knew that those weren’t his fingers. “The fuck—” Levi started to say, only to choke on a breath when his boyfriend slammed forward, locking whatever it was inside of him. Eren shuddered above him as he began to orgasm, seemingly ignorant to the giant growth on his dick currently spreading Levi wide.

“Oh my god,” Levi mumbled, unable to say much when whatever it was was pressed snug to his prostate. He shook weakly, reaching a hand down between his thighs to run fingers around where they were joined. A press against what felt like a hard lump beneath his skin had Eren jerking, and Levi seeing stars in reaction.

“Shit,” Eren gasped, seeming to finally realize something was wrong. He tried to pull back only to drag Levi’s ass with him. A hand flew down to his arm, nails digging in harshly. Eren froze, staring down at Levi’s back in fear.

“Let’s not try that again,” Levi said as calmly as he could, still riding out the dose of pain that action had caused.

“I’m sorry,” he said, hands fluttering over Levi’s body. “Fuck, I don’t know what’s going on. Are we stuck like this? Should I call for help? What—”

“Eren,” Levi sighed, patting blindly at his boyfriend’s hip. “we’re not stuck.”

“…we’re not?”

“No,” he said, shifting up onto his elbows only to regret it the moment what he guessed was Eren’s knot pushed against his prostate. Eren made a worried sound when Levi spasmed, cock spilling onto the sheets once more. “Fuck, it’s—it has to be a knot. Jesus Christ. This thing better not last for hours, I’m going fucking insane.”

Eren shifted, trying to find a comfortable position for the both of them. With many strained sounds from Levi and some maneuvering, they ended up on their sides, Levi’s back pressed to his chest. “I’m sorry,” Eren apologized, pressing kisses to Levi’s neck. “I had no idea this would happen.”

Levi was barely listening, caught in a daze of overstimulation. “You did a thing with your hand,” he said slowly. “Can you do it again?”

“A thing with my hand?” Eren looked to one of the appendages as if they could explain themselves.  

“You shocked me,” he elaborated, cutting Eren off before he could apologize. “I want you to do it again.”

“You want me to shock your _dick_?”

“Yes,” he said patiently. “Now that I’m ready for it I want to decide if I actually like it.”

Eren made an uncertain sound, trying to focus power to his fingertips. It was hard to focus when his own dick was locked inside of Levi’s ass, but he tried. He touched his hand to sensitive skin, nervous.

Levi hardly jerked. “You’re going to have to go higher than that,” he said with some amusement.

Eren tried again, this time with a stronger current. Levi shuddered, letting out a gasp. “Fuck,” Levi breathed. “add that to the list of surprise kinks.”

“You… like it?” He asked hesitantly.

There was a chuckle. “Yeah, Eren, I like it. Your freaky dick addition isn’t that bad either.”

“There’s no way I’m telling the scientists about this,” he muttered. It set off a wave of laughter in Levi, which in turn sent them both back into a round of dazed grinding.

“I think it’s going down,” Eren breathed. He tried pulling back and met a lot less resistance than before. When Levi didn’t tell him to stop he pulled out all the way, surprised by just how much semen began to spill free from his boyfriend. He ran a finger through some of it, pushing it back inside in fascination.

“Do you mind?” Levi said, voice strained. “I’m trying not to get aroused again, you know. My ass can’t take much more as it is.”

He flushed, drawing his hands away quickly. “I’ll help you to the shower. There’s a lot… more than expected.”

“More?” Levi craned his head back, trying to get a look. He ran a finger through the mess on his thighs, nose wrinkling. “You didn’t have that much when I sucked your dick. Maybe it comes out on special occasions.”

“Great,” Eren muttered. “Just what I need.”

Levi sat up with a wince. He waved his hands impatiently. “Less talking and more carrying. I don’t want this shit to dry.”

“Yes, sir,” he said dryly, scooping Levi up into his arms. Eren turned the shower on with some fumbling, trying not to drop him in the process. He set him down gently once the water was warm, making sure Levi didn’t fall. “You’re… happy right?”

Levi looked back at him as he tested his legs. “Yeah, Eren,” he smiled, despite the fact that he was wobbling around like a baby deer. “I’m happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had entirely too much fun with this chapter and the more I read it the more amusing it gets to me. All aboard the knot express 
> 
> Tell me what you thought? ;)


	16. Boiling Point

Eren had been hoping to spend a little more time with Levi before he had to work on getting some more pictures for Erwin. Unfortunately, Erwin had other plans. On Monday Eren awoke to a voicemail asking him to come in to the lab for a few more tests. It was the absolute last thing he wanted to deal with, especially after the most recent scare of Erwin knowing that The Storm had a partner.

“You’ve had a long face ever since we woke up,” Levi commented. He set a plate full of French toast down in front of Eren before taking the seat across from him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, everything is fine.” Eren sighed, picking up his fork. “I just have to go to the lab, Erwin asked for me.”

Levi was silent for a few long moments as they began to eat. “This will all be over soon. You won’t have to worry about him, then.”

“My nerves are just shot, I guess.” He groaned, dropping his fork to rub at his eyes harshly. “I’m worried about what he’s going to ask me to do next. I can’t just drop your case, if someone else gets involved it could be risky. Then there’s the tests… being a human pincushion isn’t exactly fun.”

Levi’s lips twisted into a grimace. “I know. It’s something all of us go through, even Erwin.”

Eren’s hands dropped. That was right, Levi had been a part of Titan once. He knew firsthand about all of the tests and trails. He knew what it was like to be seen as an anomaly; as dangerous. “What was it like for you?” Eren asked softly, picking his fork back up. “You’ve never really talked about your years as a hero.”

“Lonely,” Levi said shortly. He shifted, wings fluffing before settling back against his shoulders. “I told you I didn’t have any family. I was picked up by Titan pretty early. I was only sixteen and living on the streets then. Foster care wasn’t really equipped for a child that could do magic and fly.”

“I can imagine,” Eren murmured. “When did you meet Erwin?”

“I was seventeen, he was nineteen. He never really told me where they found him, but from what I gathered he lived on the streets too. His family kicked him out when his fire started to surface. They were scared.” Levi shrugged. “It’s not an uncommon response. People don’t like what can’t be explained. Mutant genes are growing more common but no one is really equipped to handle them.”

"Seventeen.” Eren frowned, toying with the food on his plate as he thought that over. “That means you worked together for nine years before he tried to kill you?”

“Eight.” Levi flexed the wrist of his burned arm. For the first time, Eren could read something other than anger in that gaze. It took him a beat too long to realize what he was seeing was hurt. “we met a few months after he was brought in. We weren’t declared partners until the following year. It took a while to get used to one another. It wasn’t until our second year as partners that we really started to take on missions. It took me a long time to realize that I wasn’t happy. I had never known anything else and Titan had become a safe place.”

“What changed?”

He smiled flatly. “I realized that we didn’t matter. Not to the higher ups, the ones who hid in the shadows and toyed with our lives like we were puppets. I wanted out. I told Erwin and he agreed to follow. He was a loner too, he didn’t really have any other friends. We were each other’s family.”

Eren bit his lip, brow furrowing. “I don’t understand,” he admitted. “If you were so close why would Erwin try to kill you?”

“Isn’t that the million-dollar question,” Levi muttered. He glared at his glass so intently Eren was half expecting it to shatter. “The public head of Titan was killed a few weeks before I applied to retire. My request was as good as denied. Titan didn’t want to lose one of its best but I didn’t give a shit. I threatened to fight my way out if I had to. When Erwin was asked to fill the opening I knew something was wrong, I just couldn’t figure out what it was. Next thing I knew my apartment was going up in flames.”

Eren sat back, absorbing all of that. He had the full story now—or at least Levi’s side, anyways. He doubted he’d ever be able to get Erwin’s. “You didn’t deserve that,” Eren said softly, reaching across the table to take Levi’s hand. It took a moment for Levi’s hand to loosen enough for their fingers to twine together. “What Titan and Erwin did to you was wrong.”

Levi stared at their hands for a few long moments. “I know,” he finally said. His eyes lifted to Eren’s. “You understand now, right? It’s not just Erwin that has to go. He was just a puppet, it’s the ones pulling his strings that I really have to go after.”

Eren felt a flicker of worry. Erwin was one thing, who knew what other powers the rest of them would have? “How are you going to take them all out? Won’t they know you’re coming?”

“I’ve been keeping tabs on the rest. It took a while to find out their identities but they won’t escape now. Most of them are human, actually.” Levi smiled bitterly. “I told you that I’m not alone. I have people all around the world just waiting for me to make the call. Titan is going to fall soon and they’re going to be helpless to stop it.”

Eren squeezed his hand before letting go. Levi looked up in surprise when he stood, mouth opening on a question. It closed when Eren wrapped his arms around his shoulders, burying his face in Levi’s neck from behind. “I don’t care what you have to do,” he whispered. “I just want you to come back. Please.”

“Didn’t you say you were coming with me?” Levi lifted a hand, threading fingers into Eren’s hair. “You can’t think about worst case scenarios; they’ll only chip away at your resolve. We’re both going to be fine.”

He let out a shaky breath, squeezing Levi tighter. “Just promise me that if it comes down to you having to make a decision between Erwin’s life or your own, you’ll choose yourself.”

"I promise,” Levi said quietly.

Eren wasn’t sure how long it took to compose himself but Levi sat patiently regardless, hand moving slowly through Eren’s hair. Eventually, his arms loosened. He straightened, swiping at his eyes discreetly. “I should probably get going. It takes a while to get through city traffic.”

Levi caught him by the wrist before he could disappear back into the bedroom. “You have to choose yourself, too. Don’t try to be the hero you always said you didn’t want to be.” His grip tightened as Eren began to shake his head in denial. “Promise me, Eren. Promise that you’ll walk away if you have to.”

There was a desperation in those blue eyes that Eren had never seen before. It was startlingly clear that Levi wouldn’t let him within a hundred feet of any sort of battle if he didn’t put himself first. “…I promise,” he finally whispered. His mouth twisted at the taste of the lie.

Levi took a handful of Eren’s shirt to pull him back down into a fierce kiss. Eren’s surprised gasp was muffled by the contact, mind thrown off of his morbid thoughts. Then again, maybe that was what Levi was going for. Eren let himself get lost in the embrace for a few long moments, hands fisting in Levi’s hair and lips just as urgent. He chased after Levi’s mouth when he made to pull away, swallowing the chuckle that escaped Levi’s chest at the action.

“Be safe,” Levi finally said, easing Eren back with a few soft kisses.

He stared down at Levi, pupils blown and lips parted to let out soft, panting breaths. This, he could say confidently. “I will.”

Eren forced himself to leave Levi at the table. He moved to the bedroom instead, where he threw on a t-shirt and jeans with little thought. He didn’t even try to tame the mess that was his hair before striding out the door. The faster he left the sooner he could get back, after all.  

He flagged down a cab to start the journey through city traffic. His head fell back against the headrest with a heavy sigh. Eren hadn’t been lying when he’d said he was tired of being stabbed by needles. He knew they were only trying to help, of course, but it still made him feel wrong. Like some sort of science experiment as opposed to a person.

Petra was always the one that supervised his tests and he trusted her at least. Something about her told him that she was safe.

The heavy glass doors of Titan’s headquarters were familiar by now, and Eren no longer felt a crushing sense of intimidation stepping through into the lobby. He gave a smile to the receptionist at the desk on his way past, waiting patiently for her to buzz him through. He slipped through the door when it opened, beginning the walk through winding hallways. The lab was attuned to his face by now and Eren entered without a hitch. There weren’t many people around but he guessed it was getting close to lunch. They were probably on break.

Petra was at her desk, eyes fixed on the screen of her computer while she ate a sub. She startled when he knocked lightly on the door, looking up in surprise. “Eren?” She covered her mouth, letting it fall once she had swallowed. “What are you doing here?”

He shot her an equally confused look. “I thought you asked me to be here? Erwin said to come by.”

She straightened. “I didn’t ask for you. We’re still running tests on the last samples we got. Erwin must have made a mistake.”

Eren fished out his phone, checking his messages. “No, it says here to come to the lab for more tests. He…” the words died in his throat and the minute he met Petra’s eyes he saw the realization echoed back with just as much horror.

“Eren, you—”

“I have to get out of here,” he whispered. Shaky hands typed out a quick message to Levi before he deleted the history. Footsteps sounded down the hall and Eren knew immediately who it was. Advanced hearing made you attuned to what sounds belonged to who. Eren shoved his phone underneath some of Petra’s paperwork before backing away from the door. His heart raced, mind trying to remember the layout of the lab.

Petra stood, looking scared—though whether it was for him or herself, he wasn’t sure. Eren didn’t give her a chance to speak. He took off in the opposite direction of those footsteps as silently as he could. It was smart, bringing him to the lab. The rooms were too small for Eren to transform. All he had was electricity to rely on.

“Eren!” Erwin called after him, sounding unhurried. “Why are you running? I just wanted to talk.”

For a minute, Eren wondered if he had made a mistake. The sound of a gun going off quickly banished that thought. He hoped Petra was okay but going back would be suicide. He had to get out into open space.

The first door he came across was locked. The second had the same result. The third required a scan like the door he’d come in through and his blood ran cold when the pad turned red. “Access denied,” the robotic voice told him.

There were footsteps all around him now. Eren backed up as they grew louder and louder, until he had to cover his ears to block some of the noise out. His head split with the agony of it, advanced senses rubbed raw. Tears leaked down his cheeks and Eren fell to the floor. “No,” he whispered, backing away as Erwin came into sight. The feather against his chest was a reminder of what he had to lose. If Erwin got him, Levi would come. He would be at a disadvantage and Eren would be the weak link. “I have too—I need too—”

 _Sleep_ , a voice commanded.

Eren slept.

* * *

His head throbbed when he came around, leaving Eren feeling like he’d been hit with a hammer. Still, when a hand lifted to his forehead there was no mark, no blood. No sign that anything had been done to him. A look around told him that he was in one of the lab rooms. He was laying on a small bed, a pitcher of water next to him on a table, alongside an apple. Other than that, the room was bare.

A shift to the side of the bed told him that there was nothing tying him down. A hand on the door told him it was locked.

Eren scowled.

Levi’s necklace still sat around his neck, much to his relief. His bag was missing though and he had no idea if Petra really was on their side or not.

He sat back down on the bed, considering his surroundings. Annie and Mikasa had been helping him practice melting things with his powers. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for the reinforced metal that most of Titan was made of, but he had to at least try. The longer he spent here the more at rest Levi was. He couldn’t let Levi fly right into a trap, not for him.

Eren raised his hands, brow furrowing in determination. Except directing his hands up at the ceiling did nothing. He frowned, straining to gather sparks on his fingertips. His head throbbed with each attempt until Eren was left gasping.

“What?” He whispered, staring at his hands in horror.

It was in this position that they found him. A chair was brought in and placed in front of the foot of his bed. A woman took the seat, while Erwin stood behind her. He looked as composed as ever, done up in his regular suit and tie. Eren felt a vicious wave of hate at the sight.

“Eren,” he started. “I see you’ve noticed your powers no longer work. It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time now. You were never the one it was meant for, but when you ran I had to make do. I can’t have you escaping to warn Levi.”

“You bastard,” Eren hissed, baring sharp teeth. He made to get up only for an invisible force to slam him back down. “The hell?”

“You’re not going anywhere,” the woman said levelly, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Large brown eyes stared him down.

Eren hated her immediately. “What did you do to me?”

“It’s interesting really,” Erwin admitted. “Look at your left arm.”

Eren tugged his sleeve up, staring in horror at the strange design etched into his skin. His arm was hot around the area and when he touched it, it burned. He had no idea how he’d missed it.

“It’s a combination of several spells with an added dose of science. I can remove it but that’s only going to happen if you cooperate with us. Or you can keep it on. You said you didn’t want to be a hero, after all. This will allow you to return to your normal life.”

It was strange how calm Erwin sounded. As if he hadn’t tried to kill his best friend. As if he hadn’t locked Eren away against his will. Eren swallowed, feeling sick.

Did he want his powers gone? He’d thought so once, but now… he didn’t know that he could imagine a life without them. He wouldn’t be able to spar with his friends anymore. He wouldn’t be able to make Levi feel safe. Would Levi even want him if he was a normal human? Almost immediately, Eren dismissed the thought. He knew something so stupid would never turn the other man away.

“What does cooperation require?”

Erwin smiled simply. “I want everything you know on Levi. I want to know the people he works with and what his plans are. I want to know his weak spots and how to push them. It’s time we ended this feud.”

“You want to kill him,” Eren realized.

“It was my goal three years ago,” he acknowledged. “it was a requirement of my position among other things. Levi knew too much and it was dangerous to leave him floating around with all that knowledge. Especially when he had it in his head to fight the organization.”

“You turned against your partner over a job opening?” He let out a harsh laugh. “You’re sick.”

“Maybe, but you’re the one on the chopping block here. Understand that even if you say no, we will find out.” Erwin frowned, staring at him almost disapprovingly. Eren was left feeling distinctly bewildered. Was Erwin _disappointed_ in him? “You were reckless, Eren. Did you really think that I wouldn’t have bugs in your apartment? That someone wouldn’t be tailing you? Even when we rooted through your files you didn’t notice. Levi was stupid to take on someone so inexperienced. It will be his ruin in the end.”

Erwin waved a hand in the silent woman’s direction. “Hitch here has the unique ability of rooting through people’s minds. By the time she’s done with you Levi will be nothing more than an enemy in your eyes.”

Eren shook his head. “You won’t win,” he said through gritted teeth. “you don’t have a chance in hell.”

“But you do,” Erwin smiled. “I’m assuming your answer is no?”

“What do you think, you giant piece of shit?” He was infuriated when the words spurred no response.

“I wanted to be like you once,” Erwin murmured. Something flashed in his eyes then, something that Eren couldn’t identify. Erwin sighed, looking away. In that moment, Eren could see every last year of the man’s thirty one years of life on Erwin’s face. The amount of regret there didn’t make sense. Shouldn’t he have been gloating? Instead he almost looked—dare Eren say—reluctant. “Very well. He’s all yours, Hitch.”

“Yes, sir,” she murmured, meeting Eren’s eyes. He froze in place, unable to so much as blink.

 _Reveal_ , a familiar voice whispered.

Then there was pain.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm curious to know, how many of you actually want Erwin to die? I'm rather conflicted about his fate


	17. The Monster and The Bird

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***if anyone is into the whole soundtrack business then I would recommend[Faded by Alan Walker](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ItHLz5WEA) to go along with the mood of this chapter. It's on Grayscale's playlist as well***
> 
> Putting this up early bc I'm super busy with uni and getting photos ready for art gallery submissions and this was the only time I could find to post something
> 
> Also, wow I did not expect such a strong response about Erwin. I thought at least a few people would want him to live but out of everyone that spoke up, 100% wanted him either tortured and then killed, or just dead. Some of your requests were pretty heated, they had me laughing

There was a great crash as Levi knocked over the kitchen table. The vase that had been sitting atop it, filled with the wildflowers Eren had picked only a day prior, shattered against the tile. Water spread out, over the ruins, abandoning the flowers that would soon die without it. Levi cursed, putting a dent in the wall with his fist. The pain grounded him somewhat, and he leaned into it, panting raggedly. “ _Fuck_.”

“Levi,” Petra whispered from the door way. “I’m so sorry.”

“I thought you were keeping an eye on things?” He hissed, eyes blazing. “You were supposed to keep him safe there!”

“I _tried,_ Levi!” Petra shouted back. Her voice wavered, both from the tears streaking down her cheeks and from exertion. She had escaped only due to the fact that Erwin wanted Levi to know that he had something precious. Something that Levi would come back for no matter what. She’d came directly to his apartment after Eren had tried to run. “I can’t watch Erwin’s every move! I didn’t even know he’d called Eren to the lab until Eren showed up in my office, and by then it was too late!”

Levi tugged at his hair, giving a kick to one of his kitchen cabinets for good measure. “I promised that I’d keep him safe. I _promised_.”

Petra softened. She stepped forward, laying a hand on his arm. “We’re going to get him back. He gave me his phone, there’s some things on there I think you should see. You’re not alone in this. Neither of you are. We’re going to get him back and put an end to this. But Levi… he might not be the same person when you find him.”

Red eyes met hers, showing just how close he was to falling apart. “What do you mean?”

“Erwin has someone that can get into the human mind. She can manipulate memories, erase entire years from a person’s life. I think he’s going to use her on Eren.”

One of Levi’s wings sent a group of dishes crashing to the floor. “Call the others,” he said hoarsely. “the plan is moving forward. Erwin is a dead man now more than ever. I want his throat beneath my hands by the end of this week. Eren’s not staying in there any longer than that. I’ll go in alone if I have to.”

Petra nodded, hurrying to his office. Levi turned the phone she’d left over in his hands. He slid a finger across the screen slowly, typing in Eren’s password. The notes app was the only one that showed up on the first display, so Levi clicked on it. A list of six names came up, both alias and otherwise. Numbers were next to them all and he pulled his own phone out of his pocket. He paused on the screen that stared back at him, hesitating.

Eren’s name sat at the top, and below it a single message.

 _Falcons are beautiful,_ it read.

Silent tears slipped down Levi’s cheeks.

_"Spies have code words and phrases for things like when they need help, when the mission has been compromised and so on,” Eren had explained as he toyed with Levi’s fingers. “I think we should do that too. Just in case something goes wrong.”_

_"A phrase?” Levi repeated. “Like what?”_

_“How about something like ‘I took the dog out for a walk,’ for you?”_

_"And you?”_

_Eren smiled, touching a hand to one of Levi’s wings. “I was thinking ‘falcons are beautiful.’”_

He was going to find him. Even if it meant digging Eren out of the very ruins of the damn complex himself.

Levi swiped at his cheeks, entering in the first number.

“Hello?” A woman’s voice asked.

“Mikasa Ackerman,” he began. “this is about Eren.”

* * *

_There was a man, but he wasn’t a man. He was a bird, no a man, no—_

_See?_ A voice whispered.

_There was a burning building, half devoured already by the roaring flames. Sirens rang loud throughout what would be the otherwise quiet night, but nothing could cut through the thick cloud of smoke and ash coating the entire street. There were shouts as neighbors and officials gathered on the sidewalk. Firefighters worked to connect their long, serpentine hose to water before the reaching flames could claim more victims. The few that had managed to get out were questioned and ushered to safety, soot clad and terrified._

_"Is anyone left?” One of the firefighters shouted._

_“If there is, they’re dead,” the man beside him muttered. Sweat dripped down his face, both from the growing heat and the exertion of attaching the hose to a hydrant. “This place is about to go down.”_

_“Head count is off!” A woman clad in a police form shouted back. “There are four unaccounted for!”_

_"We can’t go in there,” the fire chief said, before any of the others had even spoken. “The foundation is unstable; it’ll fall at any minute now.”_

_There was a reluctant murmur throughout the crowd, some relieved, others defeated. They couldn’t save someone if they were busy saving themselves._

_Inside, Eren choked on smoke._

_He staggered down the hallway, eyes burning. He coughed harshly into an elbow, hard enough that he thought for sure he’d lost a lung. Burning embers fell from the ceiling, lighting his skin up with flickers of agony. It would be much worse if he didn’t find a way to escape._

_The building groaned beneath Eren’s feet. There was a great crash, and both floor and walls shook with it. The roar of the flames was loud as it tore giant holes into the ceiling of the stories above him. Already, the heat was almost unbearable._

_“Help,” he tried to say, only to choke once more._

_A sound, different from the distant screams of the building and the laughter of the fire, filtered in through Eren’s ears. He blinked blearily, only to find himself in front of a large window. The world below was a fire-free land, with clear skies and gleaming stars. The glass was cool when he leaned against it, a sweet relief._

_Eren banged a weak fist into the panes of glass. The window held firm. What tears he might have cried were burned away by the heat and ash of his growing demise._

_“Please,” he whispered, strength fading._

_There was a tree that stretched out towards the window he sat behind, sturdy branches beckoning almost tauntingly. On the nearest, perched a bird. It was a huge thing, bigger than Eren’s head and almost entirely black. It stared at him with brilliant blue eyes, calm despite the chaos around the building._

_Eren reached for it as he began to fade out of consciousness. The last thing he saw was the bird taking to the sky; l_ _eaving him behind._

He abandoned you.

_A monster towered over the bird. With thick, sharp teeth and spit that sizzled when it hit the ground. Its paws were almost as big as the bird and Eren watched as the monster leaned down—except he was the bird, wasn’t he?_

_A pair of brilliant green eyes stared down at him, casting light over the monster’s open jaws. Fear sat heavy in his gut—but no, he’d had it wrong._ He _was the monster, not the bird. His fur still burned in spots where the burning embers had eaten away at skin, lungs hot and strained with every heaving breath._

_The bird stared, with no pane of glass between them this time, and he said—_

_he said—_

_“I love you,” Levi murmured._

But how could he love you if he left you to burn?

_The fire roared in fury around them, hungry for blood once more. The bird squirmed between his paws at the sight and let out a complaining laugh—_

_"Eren! That’s gross!”_

He mocked you.

_The laugh turned into a scream._

_Eren tried to back away as the fire tore into black wings, but he was the monster and monsters didn’t avoid the suffering of others, did they? He stared down at the bird with glowing eyes and dripping jaws and—_

_“Yeah,” Levi smiled. “I’m happy.”_

Kill him.

_Eren tore out the bird’s throat._

* * *

“—he ready?”

Eren was drowning.

“—memories—reborn—”

Eren was drowning and no one could seem to notice.

“Levi—surprise—soon—”

 _Help me,_ he pleaded. _Please help me._

“Few—longer—”

Someone touched his hand. He stared up at them, mouth grasping uselessly at words that wouldn’t come.

They shoved him back under.

* * *

Eren woke up slowly, the way one does when they know they have no responsibilities. He stretched out happily across the mattress beneath him, tossing an arm over the pillow pressed to his stomach. He dozed on and off for a while, before a knock to the door ruined any plans of slipping back into a real sleep.

He sat up with a groan, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Come in!”

Erwin stepped into the room with a small smile. “Good morning,” he greeted, setting down a pile of clothes. “You look well rested.”

Eren smiled widely at him. “Yeah, I feel a lot better. Are those for me?”

“They are,” he confirmed. “I’ve come with your next assignment.”

Eren stood, sorting through the pile. “What is it?”

“The Storm is on the move. The mission is to stop and bring him in. If that’s not possible you have permission to end the job. Failure is not an option.”

He froze, feeling a wave of rage pulse through his chest. His hands sparked with it. “The Storm?”

“The villain,” Erwin reminded.

Eren resumed getting dressed. “You’re not coming?”

“I’m afraid I have other duties. I’m confident that you can do this alone.” Erwin handed him a phone. “The location is already in there. You’re to start immediately.”

His eyes hardened as he stared at the blue dot. “Understood, sir.”

* * *

The fog was everywhere. It crawled through the streets like hungry hounds, causing civilians to take cover in terror. Eren didn’t bother doing the same, instead he ran right into it. It took a few minutes of running blind to locate a scent. He was about a hundred feet away when the fog vanished in a rush, opening up a large circle of space.

“Eren?” The Storm gasped.

Eren snarled, covering the ground between them to swipe at The Storm’s head with a knife. He was evaded and shoved to the side by a flap of wings. He readjusted his stance, eyes glowing in rage.

“Eren,” he tried again, eyes flicking between the two of them. There was an uncertain look on his face and it struck Eren as strange. No matter, if The Storm was off of his game it only made his job easier in the end. Another swipe was aimed at The Storm’s thigh and this time, Eren was pinned. “Eren, what’s going on? What did they do to you?”

_He was burning and the bird flew away—_

“Stop saying my name,” he spat, squirming viciously beneath him. “It’s Lupus. I would never exchange names with the likes of you!”

“What did they do to you?” The Storm repeated.

Eren bared his teeth in frustration. “Who the fuck are you talking about?”

“Titan has had you for five days. The others are going after Erwin right now; I was on my way to get you. What did that woman do?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about—”

“Hitch,” The Storm said urgently. “what did she do to you, Eren? I need to know. We can help you. I’ll keep you safe.”

 _He was burning and the bird flew_ away _—_

“No,” he muttered, temples beginning to throb. Eren slammed his head back against the concrete, trying to escape the flames eating up his legs. “I don’t want this. It hurts!”

“Eren,” The Storm pleaded. His hands released Eren’s wrists, moving to cradle his face instead. “talk to me. Please.”

 _But he was the monster and the bird stared up at him in fear_ —

Eren screamed, shoving him away. He staggered back with wild eyes, figure blurring as it shifted from wolf to human and back. “I’ll kill you!” He snarled, taking a step forward on large paws. The next step had him falling onto his knees, shaking with strain. “The bird is—he’s—”

“Who is the bird?” The Storm asked desperately.

Eren’s head snapped upright. “You,” he hissed, sparks dancing up his arms. “it’s _you_.”

This time, his form held up as he lunged. Levi fended off snapping jaws, hissing under the strain of holding off Eren’s electricity. Eren wasn’t playing with him any longer. Every strike was with the intent to kill and that was very clear.

Levi slammed a wing into Eren’s jaws when he tried to bite them, using the opportunity to put some distance between them. He didn’t want to hurt Eren, but he was beginning to worry he’d have no other choice.

“I need some help,” he said, pressing a hand to his earpiece. “Something is wrong with Eren.”

“I’m coming,” Petra answered.

“Me too,” Jean added.

“And me,” Mikasa huffed.

“Heading over,” Reiner said.

“Guys,” Marco tried. “we can’t all go, someone has to help with Erwin.”

Levi sighed, fending off another one of Eren’s attacks. “One person along with Petra. You decide who it is.”

Eren was growing more and more frustrated. His attempts at getting at Levi were growing sloppy with every passing moment. If he didn’t stop he was going to hurt himself. It was that, in the end, that convinced Levi to step in.

He sent a cloud of fog towards Eren’s face, just as he had during their mock fight in the woods. It seemed so long ago, when in reality, it had only been about a week or two. This time, Eren didn’t calm and wait for help. He snarled and thrashed like a rabid animal when his sight was taken away, slamming his head against the ground in an effort to scrape the magic off. He gave a loud howl when nothing worked, sending a ripple of electricity out through the city. Windows shattered and lights popped, trailing sparks. The power winked on and off before steadying and Levi couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.

His magic coaxed Eren to the ground, tying down his limbs with ropes of black before he could hurt himself further. Eren snapped his teeth at him when Levi came close and another tendril of magic wrapped around his jaws, keeping them closed. “That’s enough,” he said gently. Hands slid over Eren’s cheeks as the fog eased. Eren gave another growl as he regained his sight, eyes glowing a radioactive green. “Shh, it’s alright. I’m so proud of you but this isn’t you. It was pure cruelty for Erwin to send you after me—you could have never won. Not like this. It’s not your fault.” Levi rested his head against Eren’s. “I’m going to fix this,” he promised. “I’ll drag the bitch out by her hair and make her undo whatever it is she did. You’re going to be okay, Eren.”

Eren’s growling turned into confused whimpers as Jean and Petra touched down behind him. Eren jerked against his bindings, trying to break free. Levi shushed him once more. “It’s going to be okay,” he repeated.

“God,” Petra whispered, taking in the destruction around them, as well as Levi’s mused form. “he did this?”

“They did what you said. That bitch fucked with his mind. They sent him to kill me.” Blue eyes hardened. “I’ll kill her myself.”

“Speaking of killing,” Ymir panted into her earpiece. “Would you mind helping us now? We can’t take Erwin alone.”

An explosion sounded both over the speaker and in the distance.

Levi hesitated.

“Go,” Petra urged, touching a hand to his arm. “We’ll handle this.”

Jean held up his hands when Levi’s gaze turned to him. “What she said. Eren’s my friend and I’m not about to let some asshole fuck with his life. Even if it is Erwin.”

He nodded reluctantly. “Tell me if you need help.” He leaned down, brushing a kiss to the top of Eren’s head. “No matter what happens,” Levi whispered. “remember that I love you.”

He forced himself to walk away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the long awaited Levi and Erwin meetup. Only time will tell if Levi will win this time ;)
> 
> Tell me what you thought? Your guys' comments help me as I drown in assignments


	18. Dreaded Endings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry that this is a bit later than expected. I was recently put on sleeping medication in an effort to combat my growing insomnia and long story short, I both lost track of time and have been having trouble with the medicine messing with my cognitive abilities. 
> 
> I'm not really happy with this chapter yet tbh but I don't really have the energy right now to fix it and I don't want to make you guys wait weeks just for me to get my shit together. I'll go back and edit it later when I can. 
> 
> But, my questionable heath aside, I hope that you enjoy the fight that you've all been waiting for <3

The city was in chaos. Sirens rang loud as explosions shook the earth. Several buildings were already decimated, spilling debris across the streets. It didn’t help that Eren had done a number on the electricity. The signs that weren’t completely black flickered with distorted images, spraying the pavement below in hot sparks. Glass was everywhere, and the police and firefighters alike were trying to quell some of the panic. The screams of civilians mingled with the sound of alarms as they tried to run away from the growing battleground.

Levi had little time to help. He flew fast and hard for the building that had become the bane of his existence. The residual traces of magic from allies both old and new brushed against his senses. They sat in the back of his awareness, tucked away and out of focus. Levi allowed his eyes to sharpen briefly to scan them all as his wings folded neatly. There were no signs of Erwin fleeing.

“How is Eren?” Mikasa demanded over their ear pieces. A crash sounded from her end, and a pained grunt echoed back at him moments later.

“He’s being taken care of,” Levi answered. “Where’s Erwin?”

“He’s inside Titan!” Historia panted. “Reinforcements are keeping us at bay. I’ve got my hands full with this mind-fucking bitch.”

Levi’s gaze hardened as he strode through broken front doors. Glass crunched beneath his shoes and the smell of burning metal filled his nose. The security door was dented and hanging off of its hinges. Levi gave it no notice as he stepped through. “I want her alive, Historia. She’s going to answer for what she did to Eren.”

“Got it, boss.” There was a pause. “Good luck.”

Levi smiled grimly as his smoke began to flood the halls. “You too.”

* * *

In the end, Erwin was easy to find. He wasn’t hiding and his overconfidence led Levi past destroyed rooms and hallways alike. In the end, the signature that had haunted him since the night of the fire sat snug in the innermost circle of the building, still and waiting. Levi scowled as he came to the door.

His eyes glowed, casting off light as he scanned the surface. The wood lit up like a supernova. Levi’s eyes watered under the strain of staring at so many different enchantments. It would take ages to get past every safeguard and that was time that none of them had. So, Levi went for the next best thing.

He blew a hole into the wall.

The building shuddered under the strain as Levi stepped through the rain of debris. Fire alarms wailed behind him, and yet, somehow, the world went silent when his eyes met Erwin’s. Or perhaps that was merely his rage.

“Levi,” the man acknowledged. The fact that he looked the same as he had all those years ago only infuriated Levi all the more. Erwin sat back in his chair, looking disappointed. “I see Eren failed his task.”

Levi’s lip curled. “Eren didn’t fail shit. You’re the one that’s become one epic failure. You’ve become everything you used to hate.”

“We all have to grow up. I gave up on clinging to a useless dream. You’re the one that couldn’t let it go.”

“I honestly couldn’t give a flying fuck about your reasons,” he scoffed. “I stopped caring when you started hunting me down. All I’m here for is the job.”

“And that would be?”

Levi gave a flat smile. “Putting you down.”

Erwin stood, brushing some of the dust off of his jacket. “It seems we have similar goals then. I look forward to watching you burn.”

This time, Levi didn’t bother holding back a snarl. Black collected on his hands and Levi’s wings flared wide. “Try it again. _I dare you.”_

The room lit up in flames. “With pleasure.”

Levi’s wings protested as he slammed up, into the wall. The aid of magic broke the ceiling for his escape, but the pain was still very real. The familiar roar that had accompanied his nightmares sounded below him as a wave of flames ate up the hallway Levi had just been standing in front of. Erwin stared up at him as his wings kept him steady. The sleeves of Erwin’s jacket began to burn.

“Running away?” Erwin shouted up at him, throwing a ball of flame towards Levi. It grew in size the closer it got and Levi just barely managed to dodge the roaring flames. The building it ate in his place let out a wail before crumbling in on itself. “Just like last time.”

Levi dived, crashing into Erwin. The action threw Erwin off balance, and they fell backwards, through the window behind the desk. Erwin wrapped flaming arms around Levi’s waist as they went, preventing him from flying away. The fire dancing across his hands ate away at Levi’s clothes despite the wind rushing past them.

Levi kicked out at Erwin’s stomach, desperate to get away before the flames could do damage to his flight feathers as well. Erwin released him with a grunt and they rolled across hard pavement and glass alike when they hit the ground. Cuts opened up across Levi’s body but he paid little attention, forcing himself back up onto his feet.  

“I’m not running,” he panted, slamming a hand infused with magic into Erwin’s chest. “you’re the coward here. You couldn’t even face me when you tried to kill me.”

Erwin staggered back. “Let me fix that.” Flames roared to life on either side of Levi. With no other choice other than to fly, large hands caught a wing as he made to jump away, bringing him back to the ground none too gently.

Levi screamed as a knee slammed into the joint of the appendage. A sickening snap filled the air around them and Erwin staggered back with a hiss when Levi’s hand clawed at his eye. Levi backed up with a choking sob, wing trailing limply by his side. It had been a long time since he’d injured his wings and it was a whole new agony to have one of them useless. It was ironic that the last time this had happened, they had been on the same side. Erwin had helped to patch him up, then.

Not for the first time, Levi felt loss sing through his chest. He replaced it with his fury for Eren. Their past aside, Levi could not lose. Even if Eren hated him, even if Eren never wanted to see him again, Levi owed this. Erwin would never hurt Eren again.

“Looks like we’re even,” he rasped, glaring up into Erwin’s bloody eye. Erwin sneered, taking advantage of his downed state. The weight of the other man had Levi letting out another cry, nausea rising in the back of his throat. They writhed against the pavement, both unwilling to yield. Magic and flames alike crashed into their surroundings, bringing further ruin to the building around them. Erwin managed to get a hand around Levi’s throat in the chaos, even as Levi blinded him with a cloud of smoke. This time it did choke, and the hand at Levi’s neck heated to unbearable temperatures even as Erwin’s lungs began to fill.

“Just… like… old times…” Erwin coughed, staring down at Levi blindly. Flames were creeping closer to their forms and Levi clawed at the hand around his neck.

“Except you’re going to die,” he gasped out. Levi’s knee lifted, delivering a hard kick to Erwin’s ribs. The hand at his throat released under the surprise and he wasted little time in scrambling away.

Choked laughter was escaping Erwin as he clutched at his throat. What looked like words formed over his lips even as the sound was replaced by wheezing breaths. Levi didn’t care to hear them.

The flames around them died out slowly as he watched the man that had once been his best friend die. When the last breath escaped Erwin Smith’s body, all that remained was Levi’s smoke.

“Spread the news,” Levi said wearily, touching a hand to his earpiece. “The puppet is dead. Clean up what you’re doing and head back to base. I want a recap.”

A mix of affirmations and praises alike sounded back at him as he picked his way back through the wreckage, wing dragging behind him. Levi’s eyes drooped in his weariness, and every other sound out of his mouth was pained. All he wanted was to rest, heal, and hold Eren in his arms again. Perhaps… even to mourn the enemy he had just downed.

The mind control and his injuries aside, Levi was just beginning to think that the worst was behind them when Petra’s voice came the line.

“Levi,” she said urgently. “you need to get back here. It’s Eren. I… it’s bad. Hurry.”

Broken wing or not, Levi started running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lot of you requested torture but it just didn't go with the plot and despite Levi's regular mask of hate, he really does still care about Erwin the poor bab
> 
> Was it as satisfying as you'd hoped?


	19. When it all Falls Down

An assortment of worried faces met Levi’s when he burst into the safe house, some familiar, some not. The only face he had eyes for was Petra’s. “Where?”

She gestured down the hallway across from the living room. He was still gasping for air when she opened one of the bedroom doors for him. The sight of Eren laying pale and in what would have been their bed had Erwin not turned Eren against him was one that was startling. There was a tube running over his ears and resting in his nostrils, an oxygen tank connected to the other end. An IV was taped to his wrist, and the slow pulse of the heart monitor connected to his finger made Levi weak.

This was wrong. It wasn’t how things should have gone.

“What happened?” Levi choked out, stumbling forward to touch a hand to Eren’s. “He was fine when I left, I don’t understand.”

“We found out a month or so ago that Eren’s powers have a limit,” Petra said quietly. “too much strain on his body and his organs have a chance of failure. Whatever Hitch did made him forget his limits. He used too much voltage trying to fight you and it pushed his heart over the edge. He had a heart attack shortly after you left. He’s stable now, but very weak.”

“A heart attack,” Levi repeated. His head shot up in a glare. “He had a heart attack and you didn’t think to _tell me?”_

“You were fighting Erwin,” she hissed back just as fiercely. “you didn’t have time for distractions. You look like you barely made it out alive as it is. He’s _alive_ , Levi. I put everything I had into making sure he stayed that way. I wouldn’t have let him die.”

Some of his anger deflated at that. He turned back to Eren, brushing chocolate bangs back, out of his face. “This shouldn’t have happened,” Levi’s head shook. “he should have never been involved.”

“It was his choice,” Petra reminded.

“And now his mind has been scrambled into who-knows-what,” he said bitterly.

“About that,” a small blonde spoke up from the doorway. Her face was stained in ash, hair falling out of her pony tail and clothes ripped. “I brought Hitch back like you asked. She’s in the basement.”

Levi’s eyes flashed. “Let her stew. Tomorrow you can start on the interrogation. Today is for rest.” He looked to the group of heroes and villains alike, all crowded in the door way and looking various sides of injured. “Take care of yourselves. You did well.”

They were silent for a few long moments, before Jean spoke up. “Does this mean we can order pizza?”

* * *

It took almost a week for Eren to wake up. The city calmed down some in that time, and the house remained full. Everyone took turns by Eren’s bedside, strangers and friends alike. It was hard not for the other members of the household to not be affected by Levi’s grief. He barely moved from Eren’s side unless forced, watching over the unconscious man with tired eyes. His own injuries didn’t matter. He just wanted Eren to get better.

Levi had wanted to show him the safe house under better circumstances. He’d taken care to memorize all the places he thought Eren might like taking photos, all the secret nooks where no one could find them. Instead, Eren was stuck in a bed, covered in wires and tubes and suffering from memory manipulation.

Levi hated himself all over again.

When he showed signs of stirring, Petra convinced Levi to wait outside the door. She wasn’t sure what effect the memories would have on Eren and she was concerned about how it would affect his health if he thought he was in danger. Levi had agreed reluctantly.

It took everything he had not to dart into the room and take Eren into his arms as soon as he let out that first mumble of words. He desperately wanted to hold Eren, to keep him safe. Unfortunately, the person making him unsafe was Levi.

“Shh,” Petra soothed, handing Eren a glass of water. “Drink this first. You’ve had a feeding tube for the past few days so your throat is probably sore.”

Eren coughed a few times in between sips before finally speaking. “What happened? I don’t… I don’t remember much.”

“Memory loss is normal,” she reassured, sitting back. “you had a heart attack.”

“I had a _what?”_

“You overexerted yourself,” Petra explained. “Do you remember why?”

“I…” he squinted, moving to touch a hand to his head only to be stopped by wires. “There was an assignment, I think. Erwin was there but I don’t—what happened?”

“Do you remember Levi?” She encouraged. “When was the last time you saw him?”

Levi’s chest felt hollow as Eren shattered what was left of his heart.

“Who’s Levi?”

* * *

The door closed quietly behind Petra before she made her way to the kitchen. Levi was already there and he handed her a tray of food silently. “Levi,” she started hesitantly. “it’s not as bad as it looks.”

“He doesn’t remember me,” he said bitterly. “how is that not as bad as it looks?”

“His memories of you are entangled with The Storm. If Hitch can just smooth that out, then I think, with some help, Eren will be fine. You both will be.”          

“And if she can’t?”

Petra was silent for a few long moments. “Then you’ll have to start over. If you can.”

Levi smiled without joy. “Just take care of him. I’m going back to the city to check on things. No use in sticking around when it’ll only make Eren worse. Call me if anything happens.”

“But your wing,” she protested. “it’s still healing.”

He glanced back at the appendage. “It’ll be fine. Better me in pain than Eren, anyways.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you didn't think it would be that easy did you


	20. There's a Ghost Inside Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJnBTPUQS5A)
> 
>  

Eren recovered faster after his first awakening. Color began to return to his cheeks, and soon he was released from most of his machines. Petra had him keep the pulse monitor attached to his finger on the off chance that something went wrong, but he was free to sit outside, at least. It certainly helped him from feeling like the caged bird he’d thought of himself as lately. It didn’t help that everyone kept bringing up Levi, either. There seemed to be no escape from the stranger who elicited strange feelings within Eren. Whenever he heard the name his head ached, and Eren couldn’t figure out why. He didn’t know what the name meant to him, but from Petra’s explanation he got the gist of it.

In the battle against Erwin he’d been kidnapped and turned against their leader. All of his good memories had been messed with and turned into bad ones. That was why he held such a tangled mess of emotions when hearing about The Storm. Levi and The Storm were one in the same. Somehow, Eren had forgotten that.

He’d been told that Levi was staying away to give him time to return to full health. No one was sure if seeing him would trigger Eren’s false memories. Petra had told him that they couldn’t risk Eren falling back into the murderous mindset he’d displayed in his fight with Levi—a fight that he could barely remember to begin with. Eren felt a bit guilty that the man had to avoid his own house and friends because of him, but he was assured countless times that Levi didn’t mind, he just wanted him to get better.

That did nothing to help assuage his guilt.

Every minute he spent locked inside the house with people fussing over him, left Eren feeling wrong. He hated it, hated feeling useless and broken. Something was missing from his life, and he had the nagging suspicion that Levi knew exactly what that something was. All Eren wanted to do was to shift and escape into the woods that he so often spent his days staring into. He could use a relief from all of the eyes that had been watching him lately.

As if summoned by the thought, the door behind Eren opened.

“Hey,” Jean said, stepping out onto the porch. The wood groaned in protest beneath his weight. “I brought your computer like you wanted. Took a while to find it, but Levi dropped it off when I asked.”

“Thanks,” Eren said, touching a hand to his chest. The other gave a pat to the open space on the porch swing, inviting Jean close. For this, he could handle the hovering.

Jean frowned as he watched him, taking a seat. “Your heart okay?”

Eren sighed. “I’m really tired of people asking me that.”

“You scared us,” he defended. “and you’re touching your chest. I can’t help it.”

“I know.” Eren looked over at him, taking the laptop to start it up. “It just hurts when I hear his name, that’s all. I’m fine.”

His screen came alive when he typed in his password, and a small smile graced Eren’s mouth as Armin’s smiling face popped up. He’d had quite a lot of explaining to do to his friend when he’d resurfaced from bed rest with a clear mind. Armin had told him that he would be coming in a few weeks to visit and nothing Eren had said could have convinced him otherwise. Armin was stubborn once he got his mind set on something, which left Eren little time to get his shit together.

“Why’d you want it so badly anyways?” Jean asked, frowning at the screen.

“I want to look at my photo gallery,” Eren explained. He always took pictures of important things. He had dozens upon dozens of pictures of Armin and he was planning on taking photos of everyone around him, as well. It was a skill that he could count on, and one he wished he’d had back before his parents had died. He figured that if anything would tell him about his scrambled memories, it would be that.

Sure enough, a folder labeled ‘Levi’ was found among numerous others. Eren took a deep breath before giving it a click. Immediately, hundreds of photos began to fill the screen in small thumbnails. It was overwhelming all on its own, and he sucked in a sharp breath at the sight.

“You sure that’s a good idea?”

Eren looked over at him. “I’ll never figure this out if I keep avoiding things. I never told anyone anything because of his identity. This is all I have.”

Jean didn’t look too happy, but he didn’t protest. “You want me to stay?”

“Sure,” he murmured, clicking on the first. There was a password required which he figured someone had helped him set up. Maybe even Levi. All of his guesses turned up wrong, and Eren was left feeling distinctly frustrated.

“Levi said to try ‘falcons are beautiful,’” Jean said, glancing down at his phone.

Eren raised an eyebrow at the words, but did it all the same. Immediately, the first image filled the screen. “Weird,” he muttered. Something nagged at the back of his mind about that phrase, but it was washed away at the sight of a man in bandages among flowers.

“That was your first photoshoot, I think.” Jean squinted at it, pocketing his phone. “Some of these are ones you never showed us.”

Varying expressions were relayed back to Eren as he clicked through the set. Smiles, laughter, serenity, embarrassment… Even with the bandages, the man had the stunning ability to portray something that made Eren’s chest ache in a way that wasn’t pain. Not exactly.

“Levi,” he murmured, running a finger over a turned cheek.

The next photos weren’t professional. They were taken with phones, made not to be put on display, but for personal memories. The joy on his face as he shared embraces and moments with Levi made the ache in Eren grow. He didn’t realize he was crying until tears blurred his vision. He sniffled, swiping at his eyes as he clicked through. The nose of a large wolf nudged at Levi’s smiling face; their faces were pressed against one another, cheeks squished; a wing sat on top of Eren’s head and he shot Levi a playful glare as feathers dangled over his nose.

“Eren,” Jean murmured, when Eren’s desperate clicking revealed no more. “That’s all of them.”

He shook his head, muffling a sob into a hand. “That can’t be it. I—there’s not—”

“Hey,” a hand moved to set Eren’s laptop aside, and, for a minute, he resisted. Another tug had him accepting his defeat. Jean’s arms wrapped around his shoulders. “it’s okay.”

“I want to remember,” he whispered into Jean’s shoulder. “I don’t want to forget all of that. I want my memories back.”

“We’ve got a plan,” Jean promised. “we just need a bit more time.”

“We?”

“Mainly Historia,” he admitted. “She’s been chipping away at Hitch’s resolve. Hitch keeps telling her that she can’t fix your memories, but we can tell she’s holding back. We’re not sure why, but she’s close to breaking.”

Eren cringed at the very thought of someone rooting around in his mind once more, even to fix it. “You think it’ll work?”

Jean hesitated. “I want it to. We all do.”

He smiled sadly, wiping at his eyes. “What am I supposed to do if it doesn’t? Live the rest of my life with pieces of me missing?” Eren swallowed past the lump in his throat. “What about Levi?”

Jean squeezed his shoulders. “We’ll all help you, no matter what. Levi would do anything you asked, even if you decide you never want to see him again.”

Eren’s heart clenched. That wasn’t what he wanted, not at all. He didn’t want to be this—this shell of a person. He could remember so much of his life, yet chunks of the past year remained missing from his memory. It was as if someone had reached into the part of his brain that stored away past experiences and pulled carelessly at fragile strings,. Some had torn, while others were left behind, incomplete.

 It shouldn’t have affected him so badly, but Eren felt as if he was missing something important. Something essential to who he was.

“I wish…” Eren let out a deep sigh, not bothering to finish that thought. He wasn’t entirely sure that he wanted to know, just yet. He pulled back from Jean’s embrace before standing. His laptop was drawn to his chest, where it was cradled it as if it was something precious. In his head, it was. His only connection to Levi sat within its confines.

“Thanks, Jean,” Eren gave a faint smile. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

“No problem,” Jean said, brow furrowed as he watched him retreat back inside. He sat like that for quite some time, gaze drifting to stare out at the forest that surrounded the house with a troubled expression. He barely twitched when the screen door opened once more.

“Hey,” Marco murmured, taking a seat. His hand took one of Jean’s, and it was then that Jean realized he’d been clenching his fingers together hard enough to hurt. Marco smoothed out the digits, before tracing small shapes into his palm. “Are you okay?”

Jean sighed, glancing over at him. “I’m fine, I just… I hate seeing him like this. Levi too. It’s not like we know Levi all that well, but one look at his face and you can’t help but feel bad for him. I thought he was going to break down when I picked up Eren’s laptop. He didn’t look too good.”

“I know what you mean.” Marco leaned his head against Jean’s shoulder. His eyes followed a squirrel as it jumped among the branches of the trees in front of the house. “He’s runnin’ himself ragged tryin’ to distract himself. I can’t say that I can blame him, though. If you had been the one to lose your memories I wouldn’t want to think about it either. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

Jean frowned, twining their fingers together. “That’s not going to happen. Hitch is down for the count and Titan is in the process of being completely taken out.” He lifted Marco’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“It’s not just you,” Marco sighed. “It’s all of us. We’re family. If one of us falls, we all feel it. I never thought I would have a family again after what mine did. You’re all special to me and it hurts to watch that all fall apart. I can only imagine how Eren and Levi feel right now.”

Jean wrapped an arm around his shoulders, drawing Marco closer. “We’re going to fix it, remember? All of us are going to be fine—especially you. No one is going to hurt you again. You didn’t forget my promise, did you?”

He smiled slightly, cheeks flushing. “No,” Marco said softly. “I didn’t.”

“I don’t believe you,” Jean claimed, tickling Marco’s sides just to hear him laugh. “Tell me what it was.”

“Jean!” Marco squirmed, shaking under his fingers. His efforts to get away proved fruitless, and eventually he gave up. “You—you said that you would make sure no one ever hurt me the way my birth family did.” Jean let up on his sides, holding him close instead. Marco panted lightly from exertion. “That you would protect me.”

“Looks like you do remember,” Jean grinned, pulling back to press a kiss to his forehead. “It’s still true.”

“That’s beside the point,” Marco complained. “You’re just tryin’ to distract me.”

“Is it working?”

“…a little,” he said grudgingly.

Jean laughed, squeezing Marco’s waist. “Good.” He rested his head on top of Marco’s, gazing up at the shadow of the setting sun. It was strange to think about just how much had changed in the months since Eren had joined their ranks. The place they'd all come to see as safe had been discovered to be the very opposite, and the ghost story that they'd all known of had turned out to be a man just trying to survive--one who was in love with the newest addition to their family.

Still, some things would never change. Marco was always too concerned about people for his own good. “Try not to worry too much. Historia has things covered.”

Marco smiled. “When did you become the rational one?”

“I resent that,” Jean muttered.

The laugh that Marco let out was well worth the insult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: Marco’s birth family was extremely religious and when he started showing signs of being able to do things like move objects with a gust of wind they claimed that he was possessed. When he was ten everyone got together and tried to perform an exorcism on him. When they got violent someone heard him screaming in the woods and called the cops in time for him to be rescued. His parents were thrown in jail and other family members were given various sentences for child abuse and attempted homicide. Titan found him when he was put into the foster system. 
> 
> I’ll probably write some of the character back stories in depth once the main story is written. I’d like to write Marco and Jean’s first meeting and how they came to be partners eventually. Would anyone be interested in that??


	21. Reunited at Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the lateness of this chapter. The time got away from me and I've been recovering from a concussion I received from a friend's dog who slammed my head into a wall trying to jump on me (I know, I know, that's such an idiotic way to get a concussion shhh). 
> 
> There's some important information in the end notes so be sure to read those!

Below the picturesque sight of a house situated snug in the middle of the forest, large windows clean and grey shingles spotless save for the vines that were gradually making their way from one side of the house to the other, a boot slammed into the side of Hitch’s face, sending her sprawling. “You’ll fix this,” a man hissed above her, shadowed in the dim lighting. There was a dampness in the air, one that came from being underground after a night of rain. The stone was cold against her aching face, a welcome—if unintentional—reprieve. “You’ll fix this, or I’ll never forgive you.”

"Marlow, I—” She gasped as he pulled her up by her hair. The strain caused her lungs to catch on the air she sucked in through the pain, and she broke off into a series of coughs instead.

“Don’t say my name. You don’t deserve to after what you did.” He shoved her back into her chair. “Eren is going to come through that door today. You’re going to fix him, and you’re going to do it _now_.”

“I can’t!” Hitch cried, tears streaking down her dirty face. Her hair was matted against her temples, one side crusted in the blood of a head wound she’d received trying to escape from The Storm’s attack on Titan. She hadn’t been able to shower in days. The only kindness she’d been given was food and water, a bare bathroom, and a bed. “I can—I can erase some of it but not all of it! The mind doesn’t work like that! I just manipulated memories, the only thing I can do is erase them but he’ll never remember any of this. Not Levi, or Erwin, or me!”

“Stay here.” He stalked out of the reinforced door, leaving her to sniffle quietly into the silence. He looked to the man standing outside once it had closed. “Well, boss?” A distinctly feminine voice asked. “What do you want to do?”

There were dark circles under Levi’s eyes when he looked at her, and his appearance was unusually disheveled, as if he hadn’t seen a mirror in a while. One of his wings was bandaged and hung strangely from his side. His face was cold. “Make her do what she can. If after that, Eren wants to erase his memories… then she’ll do it.”

‘Marlow’ nodded, turning back around. “Is he coming?”

“Yeah,” he said, looking away. “Petra is with him. Until his memories are fixed I’m avoiding him so I don’t set off anything bad.”

“I’ll make her suffer,” he promised.

Levi smiled faintly. “Thank you, Historia.”

* * *

Eren was shaking as Petra led him down, into the rather expansive basement of the house. It was mildly dusty, but still clean. No cobwebs hung from the paneled ceiling, and the flat lighting dispersed between the white squares did a decent job of chasing off most of the shadows. They made their way down a short hallway, pausing in front of a wide metal door. He wanted this, wanted to remember, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t terrified.

The door swung open, and a strange man stared back at them. “Eren,” he said, giving a small smile. “You ready?”

Historia could take on any human guise, Eren reminded himself. This was no stranger, it was a comrade. Someone to be trusted. He’d grown fond of the little blonde spitfire of a woman, as well as her partner in crime, whom Eren had discovered was the cause of the injury that had brought he and Levi together all those months ago—or so Ymir, the model in his first city pictures, had told him.

Eren gave a small nod. “I think so.”

She stepped aside, letting a figure that sat slumped over in a chair swim into view. The woman gave no notice to them, small figure really nothing that seemed all that intimidating. Hitch looked broken; fight gone. Still, she was a common occurrence in Eren’s recent nightmares, and his breath began to catch in his throat. “Fuck.”

“Shhh,” Petra rubbed his back, leading him to a chair set across from Hitch. “It’s alright. She’s going to take everything away, remember? She’s going to fix what she did.”

He curled shaking hands over his knees, eyes darting first from Hitch’s tired face, to Historia. Eren reminded himself of what was at stake. Of Levi and the memories he wanted back. “Okay,” he finally whispered.

“Hitch?” Historia said, in the stranger’s voice, giving her a pointed glare. She shuddered, turning wet eyes to Eren’s.

“ _Reveal_ ,” she croaked.

Then there was darkness.

* * *

_There was a man but he wasn’t a man, he was a bird, no a man, no—_

Both, she whispered.

_A building burned, half devoured by the roaring flames. Sirens rang loud throughout what would be the otherwise quiet night, but nothing could cut through the thick cloud of smoke and ash coating the entire street. There were shouts and chaos as neighbors and officials gathered on the sidewalk. Firefighters worked to connect a long, serpentine hose to water before the reaching flames could claim more victims. The few that had managed to get out were questioned and ushered to safety, soot clad and terrified._

_There were shouts, a question of a headcount. Eren filtered them out, caught in the grip of live tragedy. He moved closer, a ghost amongst the chaos._

_No one tried to stop him as he rounded the side of the building. He was dreaming, Eren thought, when the heat barely touched him. His eyes were resistant to the thick smoke. The raining ashes did not burn._

_Before long, Eren stood at the back of the house. He looked up, troubled as to what he was looking for. There was a large window still sitting on the second floor. It was clouded with smoke, the glass beginning to soften with the rising heat. There was something important about this window, and Eren kept his gaze fixed to it even as the fire began to reach for him._

_He couldn’t help but jump when the glass shattered, unprepared for movement after so long. Smoke poured out from the new opening, flames chasing after the form that fell to Eren’s feet with the added dose of oxygen. The figure was small, soot covered and groaning. Something strange shifted against their back, something that shouldn’t have been there. Their clothes were smoking; Eren could see blood._

_He wanted to reach out; wanted to help. Alas, it was a dream and all Eren could do was watch as what he realized was a man staggered to his feet with a gasping sob. He looked devastated as his face lifted to the burning building. Tears streamed from the side of his face that was not injured, leaving streaks in the soot on his skin. Eren wasn’t sure if it was born from pain, or something else. Loss towards his home? His belongings?_

_Both, perhaps._

_The left side of his face was ruined, with ugly burns and wounds that bled sluggishly. His eye was squeezed shut. Blinded?_

_What Eren realized were wings shifted against the man’s back. One of them was still smoking lightly. He wanted to tell him to stop when they stretched in preparation for flight. It was obvious that they hurt, from the groan that the man let out._

_Who are you? He wanted to say._

_“Who hurt you?” He asked instead._

_A different version of the man turned to him this time, as the other took to the sky in the form of a bird. This one was scarred, one eye swimming in red._

_“You’ll never find out,” The Storm said, sending him away._

Lies.

_A monster towered over the bird that had visited Eren’s dreams. With thick, sharp teeth and spit that sizzled when it hit the ground. Its paws were almost as big as the bird, and Eren watched as the monster leaned down—except he was the bird, wasn’t he?_

_A pair of brilliant green eyes stared down at him, casting light over the monster’s open jaws. Fear sat heavy in his gut—but no, he’d had it wrong._ He _was the monster, not the bird._

_The bird stared, with no barrier of dreams between them this time, and he said—_

_he said—_

_“I love you,” Levi murmured._

Truth.

_The house was back and so was the bird. Only this time, the bird didn’t fly away. Instead, Eren caught him in his paws and—careful, careful—he bit down on the bird’s wing. The bird squirmed between his paws, letting out a complaining laugh—_

_Levi shook his head fondly. “I guess you’re the loser then.”_

_“Wrong,” the monster said. “I’m a winner because you love me.”_

He trusts you.

_"No matter what happens,” Levi whispered. “remember that I love you.”_

He came for you.

_Eren—the monster—ran into the bird’s arms._

* * *

“It’s done,” Hitch whispered, slumping back against her chair, hours later. Eren wavered, holding a hand to his head. “That’s the best that I can do.”

“Eren?” Petra asked gently.

“Where’s Levi?” He whispered, feeling tears begin to wet his cheeks.

She softened. “He’s right outside.”

The door flung open, taking them all by surprise. Levi strode inside, looking imposing and heartbroken all at once. “Eren?” He asked uncertainly.

Eren let out a sob, trying to stand and failing. “Levi,” he said, grasping uselessly in his direction. “Please—”

Levi jolted forward as if pulled by a string. In seconds, his arms were around Eren, cradling him close as he broke apart. “It’s okay,” he soothed, crying into Eren’s shoulder as Eren sobbed into his own. “I’ve got you.”

“Erwin?”

“Dead,” Levi said flatly. “I killed him myself. He’ll never hurt you again.”

“Or you,” he whispered.

“Or me,” Levi agreed. He stroked Eren’s hair, false strength draining under the relief of his return. He pulled back to cradle Eren’s face in his hands, eyes drinking in the sight of a Eren glad to see him, as opposed to murderous. “I missed you.”

Eren sniffled, clutching at his wrists. “I missed you too. I was so scared…”

“Shh,” he soothed, wiping away tears even as his own continued to fall. Eren returned the favor, and Levi couldn’t help but laugh at the both of them.

“Take me home?” Eren asked hopefully.

Levi’s heart almost broke. “Always.”

* * *

Eren looked small in Levi’s apartment. Small, broken, and everything precious. Levi took him by the hand, bringing them both to the shower to get clean. Eren ran gentle hands along his broken wing and he hissed, unable to help it.

“What happened?” Eren frowned.

“Erwin broke it,” Levi shrugged. “It’s healing though, just slower than normal. I’ll be fine.”

He still looked like he disapproved. “You need to rest. We both do.”

"Rest sounds nice,” Levi sighed. “We’ve got a shit show coming. Titan is in shambles and someone has to step up to the plate.”

“You?” Eren guessed.

He grimaced. “Until someone else can be found, anyways. I didn’t get rid of one rat only to replace it with another.”

Eren shut off the water, tugging Levi after him. He dried him gently, careful of any wounds. Levi did the same, causing Eren’s heart to ache. He guessed Levi wasn’t a villain anymore, now that he thought about it. “What does this make us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are we heroes?” Eren clarified.

Levi stared at him for a few long moments. “Do you want to be?”

He frowned. “No,” Eren said slowly, sorting through the strange maze that was his memories. “no, I don’t. I just want to be me.”

“Then that’s what you’ll be,” he promised, drawing Eren close. The wing that wasn’t broken blocked off the rest of the world as they kissed, and though there were still things to face, still Titan and the aftermath of Hitch’s mind control to deal with, Eren felt at peace.

No, he felt safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the first draft of this story, this was where I had ended things. After rereading this countless times during all the editing I've done so far, and adding much more to it, I decided that this story isn't quite done. There are still things to mend, still plot points that I want to touch on before this AU is finished. However, I just haven't been satisfied with the way things have read between this chapter and the next, so I've decided to conclude Grayscale, and continue on with a second installment that starts with what would have been chapter 22. I've yet to determine what I will call it (suggestions are welcome), but I've made this work into a series so you can subscribe to it if you wish to be notified when I post the next work. The first chapter should come sometime next weekend, if you want to look out for it.
> 
> I want to thank all of you for reading the first installment of this series. This AU is dear to my heart and I'm excited to share the rebuilding of Titan with you, as well as Levi and Eren's future adventures. Everyone that has left comments has made me smile, and helped me through the periods of depression that I've been fighting off lately. You guys help me to keep writing and to make this series better than it originally was. I hope you'll stick around to see the rest <3

**Author's Note:**

> for those of you that have followed my stories before and know my rather sporadic update schedule you'll be pleased to note that this story is like 80% finished, not to mention long. Hold on tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride. (did I mention I'm really fucking excited for this story because I am) If you have questions/comments etc
> 
> you can also find me on tumblr @ [my101fragiledreams](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com)  
> Anything extra I post about this story can also be found [here](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/tagged/fic%3A-grayscale)
> 
> The link to the playlist can be found [here](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/post/169839799409/who-defines-what-makes-a-villain-and-what-makes-a)
> 
> Art for chapter 14 can be found [here](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/post/170472743064/askhungryeren-did-this-lovely-commission-for-me)
> 
>  


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